Book Launch by Dr. Ahsan Rana

On Friday, April 26, 2024, the Suleman Dawood School of Business (SDSB) hosted the launch of "ہیں کواکب کچھ" authored by Dr. M. Ahsan Rana, an Associate Professor at SDSB. Dr. Rana, renowned for his expertise in social policy and governance, presented his latest work, which critically analyses welfare capitalism. The event was attended by a large number of faculty and students from SDSB and other schools, and people from outside LUMS.

The book examines the intricate relationship between welfare and capitalism. It argues that while welfare systems aim to address disparities within capitalist economies, they often strain state resources and have contributed to worldwide fiscal crises. Drawing on examples from the post-World War II era, Dr. Rana scrutinises the role of welfare states in perpetuating capitalist structures and investigates Pakistan's welfare regime's complexities.

Dr. Rana's research highlights the tension between welfare objectives and capitalist imperatives within Pakistan's socio-economic landscape. Despite financial constraints, the state continues to allocate resources to welfare programmes, prompting a deeper exploration into the dynamics of welfare distribution and its impact on different socio-economic classes.

Key arguments in the book challenge conventional notions of welfare expenditure, emphasising its significant proportion in national budgets and pervasive societal influence. Dr. Rana contends that welfare regimes often benefit the bourgeoisie disproportionately, perpetuating structural inequalities inherent in capitalist systems.

With a liberal-progressive lens, Dr. Rana navigates through Marxist insights to analyse welfare mechanisms, acknowledging their temporary alleviation of contradictions while advocating for nuanced policy approaches. The book's accessibility in Urdu makes it a valuable resource for academics, policymakers, and non-academic intellectuals interested in Pakistan's socio-economic dynamics.

"ہیں کواکب کچھstands out for its in-depth examination of Pakistan's welfare regime, its progressive perspective, and its contribution to Urdu literature on socio-economic issues. Dr. Rana's work promises to stimulate critical discourse and inform policy debates surrounding welfare capitalism in Pakistan and beyond.