Preface.

Naqvi, Syed Nawab Haider

George Bernard Shaw declared pontifically in the Doctor's Dilemma: "All professions are conspiracies against the laity." We as economists--indeed, as development economists--may dismiss Shaw's dictum as irrelevant to our profession. After all, is it not true that economics, especially development economics, is at heart for the 'laity'? Economists of all hues and colours would like to answer in the affirmative. The neoclassical high priest will offer a joyride along the Paretian catenary (in the literal sense) within the safety of the 'box' lovingly constructed by the geometers of yore. If that does not satisfy the laity because of their awkward lexicographic contours and their revealed preference for a maximin saddle, so much the worse for them. "The convexity of an efficient set is more beautiful than the non-convexities of equity", the high priest will admonish the sullen laity. Not far behind are the development economists who offer the trickle-down therapy and prescribe for them the traditional wait-and-see posture. Economic growth brings benefits to all--even to the laity. Never mind if this happens in the Keynesian long run. Better late than never.

In sharp contrast with the sang-froid of such economists is the clamouring of the Marxians--or, more accurately, neo-Marxians--who hold out the dialectical iron fist to the 'exploiters', threatening to pull them down from their high pedestal and offer their ugly heads on a platter to the proletariat. According to the neo-Marxian fire-brands the economic profession must not retreat into a defeatist shell if the 'realities' of the world are not propitious; instead, it should help in changing these realities for the laity.

A development economist following a 'balanced' intellectual growth path will perhaps be better off--without making anybody worse off in deference to the good old Vilfredo Pareto--to steer clear of the Scylla of the neo-classical iceberg and the Charybdis of the neo-Marxian fireball. Whether the Society of Development Economists can lend a helping hand in this scientific adventure to the voyagers on the high seas remains to be seen. Let us hope it will, at least in the long run. However, it must set the ball rolling by reminding the development economists that when the chips are down the cynosure of the economic processes is Man himself and it is ultimately for his betterment that every economist worth his salt must work. Even if the economic profession indulges in the dangerous game of hatching conspiracies, one should see that they are for, rather than against, the laity. With scientific rigour we must strive to be relevant.

To be scientific and relevant is the challenge that development economists face. They should be inspired in their work by a craving for reviving the languid spirit of those weighed down by poverty, want and social deprivation. This was the predominant sentiment at the First Annual General Meeting of the Society held from March 17 to 20, 1984. The overall theme was "Changing Perspectives of Economic and Social Development in Pakistan". Under the umbrella of such an all-weather, all-embracing tide many an earth-shaking paper was read on the occasion. A total of 30 papers, including the Inaugural Address and the Presidential Address, were circulated at the Meeting. Of these, only 18 papers are reproduced here. The Quaid-i-Azam Lecture, delivered by Ismail Sirageldin (Johns Hopkins University), and two other highly valuable papers will be published in a regular issue of the Pakistan Development Review. These papers were too long for inclusion in the Proceedings. The remaining papers were either not presented at the Meeting or were not revised by the authors. A full list of all the articles circulated at the Meeting appears in the Programme. Even a cursory look at this list should convince the reader that the discussion was wide-ranging, although in view of the binding time and financial constraints not all the aspects of Pakistan's economy could be 'covered'. At any rate, as the Doomsday is nowhere in sight, it can be predicted with near-certainty that there will be many more such meetings and the 'slack' will be taken up in due course. The standard of papers and discussion remained fairly high and the enthusiasm of the participants remained unabated until the fag-end of the Meeting. If sometimes the participants appeared to be running after some black cat that was nowhere to be found in the well-lighted hall of Holiday Inn, then most of the discussions were pointed, rigorous and relevant.

The papers presented at the Annual General Meeting have been revised by the authors at the request of the Editor with a view to maximizing (research) output, subject to the space constraint of the Papers and Proceedings issue of the Pakistan Development Review. It is hoped that the present collection of papers will be read with interest by all concerned with the problems of economic development, with special focus on Pakistan. As the papers published in the present volume do not bear the mark--or, shall we say, the stigma--of the Editor's pen, nor have they been refereed, only the authors bear the cross of responsibility for all the errors of omission and/or commission that may still be there in their papers. To the ones not yet discouraged, I wish bon appetite.

Syed Nawab Haider Naqvi

Editor