Diluting Social Contract in Pakistan: Investigating the Impacts of Social Change on Political Landscape in Pakistan

Abstract

The dissertation critically examines how evolving patterns of social change, particularly urbanization, demographic shifts, the rise of an educated middle class, and the erosion of traditional authority structures, have diluted the classical social contract in Pakistan and transformed its political landscape. Grounded in interpretivist epistemology and informed by classical and contemporary social contract theories, the study employs a qualitative research design comprising semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis. Moreover, drawing from perspectives of students, academic experts, and political activists, the study interrogates the shifting dynamics of state-society relations in a context marked by political disillusionment, governance crises, and the growing assertiveness of youth and civil society. The findings reveal that the traditional foundations of legitimacy, mantled in patronage, kinship networks and authoritarian governance, are increasingly contested by new forms of civic consciousness, technological activism and demands for accountability. The emergence of a politically aware middle class has exposed the state’s inability to adapt to changing societal expectations thereby resulting in a perceived legitimacy gap. Furthermore, the study highlights how social media and protest movements act as catalysts for renegotiating the political contract, often outside formal democratic structures. The integration of classical philosophical frameworks with empirical realities in Pakistan, the dissertation offers an insightful understanding of the contradictions and possibilities embedded in the country’s evolving political fabric. It concludes by advocating for a reimagined social contract that is inclusive, responsive, and reflective of contemporary socio-political transformations. The research contributes to broader debates on postcolonial governance, legitimacy, and participatory democracy in transitional societies.