Mian Ashiq Hussain / Minds
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The Key Insight: Fiscal Governance and the Rise and Fall of States
History in perspective reveals that rise and fall of states have correlation with their fiscal and financial governance.
Read the essayWhy Constitutions Fail, and What Makes Them Flourish
Why constitutions fail, from America's Articles of Confederation to Pakistan: Mian Ashiq Hussain argues the answer lies in who controls the power of the purse.
Read the essayWhy Nations Fail: A Fiscal Answer
Why nations fail, in Mian Ashiq Hussain's account: states rise when public money answers to the people and fall when revenue, debt and taxation slip out of their control.
Read the essaySemi-Presidential Systems: Examples and Lessons
Semi-presidential system examples from France and South Korea to Sri Lanka and Taiwan, and why Mian Ashiq Hussain argues the model's time has come for Pakistan.
Read the essayProvincial Autonomy in Pakistan: Beyond Legislative Lists
Provincial autonomy was Pakistan's founding promise. Mian Ashiq Hussain traces it from the Lahore Resolution through One Unit, 1971 and the 18th Amendment, and argues that legislative lists are not enough without an equal Senate, a working Council of Common Interests, provincial taxes and a provincial say in amendments.
Read the essayHow Judges Are Appointed: UK, India and Pakistan Compared
How are judges appointed in the UK, and what can India and Pakistan learn? Mian Ashiq Hussain compares Britain's Judicial Appointments Commission, India's collegium and the fate of the NJAC, and Pakistan's Judicial Commission from the 18th to the 26th Amendment, then outlines a broad-based, merit-driven commission.
Read the essayProportional Representation vs First Past the Post
Does first past the post hand power to minorities? Mian Ashiq Hussain draws on elections in Britain, Weimar Germany and India to argue that proportional representation builds broader, more consensual democracies, takes on the charge of coalition instability, and sets out a mixed system for Pakistan.
Read the essayConstitutional Amendments in Pakistan: Who Holds the Pen?
Pakistan's Parliament can amend the constitution without the provinces or the people. Mian Ashiq Hussain traces how the 1956 and 1962 constitutions failed, compares the constitutional amendment process in the US, Australia, Canada, Switzerland and India, and argues that a federation's bargain should change only with the consent of those who made it.
Read the essayDoes Trickle-Down Economics Work? Tax, Inequality, Growth
Tax cuts for the rich were meant to lift everyone. Mian Ashiq Hussain argues they widened inequality, and makes the case for fair, progressive taxation instead.
Read the essayLocal Self-Government: Nordic, Indian and Pakistani Lessons
Why do local councils thrive in Sweden and Finland but keep collapsing in Pakistan? Mian Ashiq Hussain compares local self-government, panchayati raj and Article 140A.
Read the essayFiscal Federalism: Lessons from Five Federations
Federations hold together when each tier can raise what it spends. Mian Ashiq Hussain compares the US, Switzerland, Germany, India and Canada and draws lessons for Pakistan.
Read the essayThe 18th Amendment in Pakistan: Devolution Compared
The 18th Amendment moved subjects between lists but left money and power largely at the centre. Mian Ashiq Hussain explains why devolution in Pakistan is unfinished.
Read the essayThe NFC Award and How Federations Share Revenue
Pakistan's NFC Award decides how federal tax collections are split between the Centre and the provinces. Mian Ashiq Hussain compares the arrangement with Australia, Canada and India and argues that sharing out a central pool keeps provinces dependent: a working federation also gives each tier taxes of its own.
Read the essayThe Basic Structure Doctrine: India, Germany and Pakistan
Can a court strike down a constitutional amendment? India says yes, Germany wrote the answer into its Basic Law, and Pakistan has argued about it for decades. Mian Ashiq Hussain sets out the mainstream case for the basic structure doctrine and his own argument that, where a constitution sets no express limit, the final word on amendment belongs to the people and their representatives, not to judges.
Read the essayConstitutional Checks and Balances: Conclusions
Separation of powers is an antidote to absolute power of any organ of the state.
Read the essayIvory Towers of the Judiciary and Progress
Since a judicial system plays key role in developing steady socio-political system, it may be seen that the performance of a judicial system has positive correlation with the economic development.
Read the essayFrom Bureaucratic Rule to Self-Governance
Local self-governance is the key factor for mobilising the population and optimising its productivity.
Read the essayThe Way Forward: Renewing the Social Contract
In developing democracies, government for the people is still a work in progress.
Read the essayThe Partition of Bengal and the Inadequacy of Revenues
The Partition of Bengal in 1905 was another turning point of historic significance.
Read the essayThe Six Points Formula and Provincial Autonomy
Six Points Formula of Awami League was essentially a reaction against the inherited colonial financial procedures incorporated in the Constitution of 1962.
Read the essayCaretaker Governments: A Constitutional Black Hole
Initially, the concept of caretaker government was incorporated in the Revival of Constitution of 1973 Order (RCO), 1985, which was promulged by Gen Zia ul Haq in March of 1985.
Read the essayThe Financial Procedures of the United Kingdom and Colonial Governance
The United Kingdom has no codified constitution. Unlike countries governed by written constitutions, there is no specified constitutional mandate for financial procedure.
Read the essayThe Historical Role of Financial Governance in Federal Evolution
The principal factor shaping and reshaping federal structure is the fiscal part of a constitution.
Read the essayThe Constitution of the People’s Republic of China
Over the past four decades, China has worked a great economic miracle.
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Dynamics of Constitutions
Fiscal Factors that Transform States
Constitutional Checks and Balances
Federalism and National Integration
- Provincial Autonomy in Pakistan: Beyond Legislative Lists
- Fiscal Federalism: Lessons from Five Federations
- The 18th Amendment in Pakistan: Devolution Compared
- The NFC Award and How Federations Share Revenue
- The Six Points Formula and Provincial Autonomy
- The Historical Role of Financial Governance in Federal Evolution