COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL ECONOMY MODELS IN SOUTH ASIA AND THEIR IMPACT ON PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM

Abstract

This study presents a comparative analysis of political economy models in South Asia and their influence on public sector reform. The political economy of South Asian nations—such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal—has been shaped by diverse colonial legacies, state-building trajectories, institutional configurations, and political cultures. These models range from centralized bureaucratic systems to more pluralist and democratic frameworks, each with varying degrees of state intervention, policy autonomy, and fiscal decentralization. By examining the interplay between political institutions, governance structures, and economic strategies, this review evaluates how different political economy paradigms have influenced the formulation, implementation, and sustainability of public sector reforms. The analysis draws on empirical evidence and policy case studies to highlight sectoral differences in reform outcomes across education, health, infrastructure, and e-governance. It further explores the role of international financial institutions, donor conditionalities, civil society engagement, and political patronage in shaping reform trajectories. The findings reveal that countries with more inclusive political institutions and greater civil society participation have achieved relatively higher levels of reform success, despite challenges of corruption, capacity constraints, and policy inertia. In contrast, reforms in more authoritarian or clientelist settings tend to be top-down, donor-driven, and less sustainable. The study concludes by proposing a context-sensitive framework for public sector reform in South Asia, emphasizing institutional legitimacy, political will, and adaptive governance mechanisms.