Bhutto and the Ppp'S Socialism?

Abstract

It is not unusual for many a government in post-colonial states to tag themselves “socialist.” One such government was that of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Pakisian. Not only did Bhutto acquire the nomenclature Quaid-i-Awam which in Pakistani parlance implies leader of the masses, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) which he led maintained a socialist posture in and out of government. Our intent in this paper is to undertake a review of Bhutto and the PPP's emergence in Pakistan, as well as the policy performance of Bhutto while in office. Consequent upon such a review, we intend to posit that Bhutto's rise to power was a result of infra-factional struggle within the propertied classes in Pakistan. And that socialism was merely expedient for such a struggle.