Daily Times

Elite Capture is defined as “….a form of corruption where scarce national resources are captured by a small group of people and/or institutions by virtue of their social, political, economic, military, religious or institutional clout …to the exclusion of the wellbeing and welfare of weaker segments in a society or country….”

It is an interesting phenomenon. The first world, and specifically the USA, has subtly and cunningly enrobed this capture in high sounding democratic credentials like constitutionalism and rule of law. Take away this veneer and would anyone dare to question or go against the power of Wall Street or the Defence and Healthcare Industries? Bernie Sanders and his supporters are discovering this today as the “tried and trusted” Biden will now likely be the Democratic Presidential nominee.

How else can we explain the letting go of HSBC with a token rap on their knuckles for their massive money laundering of nearly a billion dollars of Mexican drug money? Remember BCCI was brought down on charges of laundering a mere 2 million dollars!

It’s a tale as old as humanity as the elite find ways to insulate themselves from the vagaries of poverty, death, destruction and disease!

Take for example the 2nd World War in which an estimated 85 million were killed. Nearly 80% were from 7 countries: Russia, 27 million; China, 20 million; Germany, 7 million; Poland, 6 million; Japan, 3 million & British India, 3 million.

And the two elites? The dying British Empire and the new kid on the block, USA? 419,000 and 450,000 respectively. Less than 1%.

Even in war they managed to save themselves from the mass scale slaughter which devastated the then not so elitist, USSR and China.

In third world countries like Pakistan, this “Elite Capture” is much more direct & brazen, and a function of who possesses more physical or coercive power, whether latent or overt. Soekarno, Suharto, Marcos, Qaddafi, Saddam, Park Chung-hee, the Arab monarchies and our own Ayub, Yahya, Zia and Musharraf are just a few symbols of this “grab”.

It is a landscape in which political leadership, governance, power, influence and authority vests in a few institutions and individuals, usually a small group of highly privileged and untouchable leaders at the top of these power elites. Their schools, hospitals, businesses, housing societies and personal wealth, privileges and access to policy decision making and political power are visible symbols of this resource capture.

Their power narrative is simple. If you don’t do what I say or let me do what I want, I can make life very difficult for you.

But tragically, it is not just institutions like the armed forces, or other law enforcement agencies and their extensions, which exercise this power, but other power elites in the judiciary, politics, business, agriculture, media, religious and ethnic groups.

These relatively weaker elites survive and thrive by co-opting and leeching from this large mother ship, nibbling, taking, grabbing, gouging whatever they can

Sometimes they confront each other to grab more power, as we’ve seen happen time and time again in our short existence. Nawaz Sharif and Zardari are two examples of this conflict or cooperation. They did this, not to eliminate the elite capture of others or for their love of democracy, but to enhance their own power to loot and plunder!

Eventually, this manifests in increasing authoritarianism and clashes between elites, an inevitable move towards fascism, a greater risk of social upheaval and anarchy, as resources diminish and claimants increase.

Imagine the consequences when this institution is hollowed by the termite of corruption and incompetence. And quite frankly if things don’t change, it’s just a question of when, not if

Tragically in this feast of the elites, the political contract with the underprivileged and the downtrodden is no better than feudal serfdom who are drugged into silence through symbols and high sounding rhetoric of national security, patriotism, sacrifice, fighting against the enemies of the country, institutional reform, corruption etc.

But built into this elite capture is its own eventual destruction as corruption and misuse of power at the leadership levels leads to institutional weakening, decay and destruction, as has happened to our civilian public sector institutions.

This is not to criticize the army, but to signal an extremely worrisome situation where as a consequence of elite capture our entire civilian public sector institutions are today dysfunctional, leaving the army as the last man standing.

And hence, here’s the three-fold danger.

One. As our other institutions cannot deliver and the Army’s influence, control, power and dependence increases, there comes an unconscious and conscious grab for more power and an increased danger of authoritarianism, fascism, misuse of power, authority, financial corruption, lack of accountability and transparency in what they do and why.

Two. As a consequence, the army runs the same existential risk of institutional decay and destruction as their civilian counterparts.

Three. And therefore, perhaps the most serious consequence of this perspective is that were the Army to fall victim to this same institutional destruction, then Pakistan is in serious trouble, given that today, whether we like it or not, it’s our one and only effective institution.

Imagine the consequences when this institution is hollowed by the termite of corruption and incompetence. And quite frankly if things don’t change, it’s just a question of when, not if.

So if there’s one thing Gen. Bajwa can do to save this institution and the country from further decay and destruction, is to crack down harshly and publicly on the slightest evidence of corruption, especially at senior levels. He must not try and “save the honour” of the institution by quietly sidelining corrupt generals, but publicly hold them accountable for their sins as we are doing now with bureaucrats, politicians and media barons.

Having now received an additional 3 years, Gen. Bajwa, must bring the Army back to its spartan roots and culture, devoid of ostentatious, privileges & displays of wealth by its senior officers, unheard of when I joined this great institution in 1974 or when my father served it with great pride! For example, in 1976 not a single guest room in any officers mess in Malir Cantonment had an air conditioner.

It is important that we stop the elite capture of this nation’s meagre and scarce resources, by all those doing so, whether it’s the military or, politicians, senior judges, bureaucrats, business magnates, religious leaders, media barons etc. Resources desperately needed to feed & shelter the hungry, & the poor, providing them equal access to quality education, healthcare and opportunities.

And COVID19 or Corona?

Corona is a great social leveler infecting the elite and poor alike across the globe, hence the panic. But eventually, because it affects the elite equally, massive resources are being marshalled to find a cure, and hence it will eventually pass, Insha Allah.

But what of Pakistan’s “Elite Corona”? Can we survive that?

The writer is a Geo political commentator / blogger on National and International affairs. Formerly a media anchor, corporate leader, management consultant