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The Political Economy of Divergent Welfare States in the Global South

The Case of South Africa and Mauritius

  • Book
  • © 2024

Overview

Authors:
  1. Elias Phaahla

    1. Politics and International Relations, University of Johannesburg, Kingsway Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa

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  • demonstrates how the continued dominance of old-age pensions defined welfare path dependence
  • Shows the extent to which the concept of social democracy is closely tied to Mauritius's aspirations
  • Provides a detailed account of South Africa's developmental challenges

Part of the book series: International Political Economy Series (IPES)

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xix
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  2. Introduction: Historical Antecedents Behind Remarkable Variance in Social Policy Outcomes in South Africa and Mauritius

    • Elias Phaahla
    Pages 1-21

  3. A Tale of Two Countries: Theoretical and Analytical Framework in Comparative Social Inquiry

    • Elias Phaahla
    Pages 23-45

  4. South Africa and Mauritius in a Macro-Causal Social Inquiry

    • Elias Phaahla
    Pages 47-68

  5. State-Building and the Making of the Racially “Exclusive” Welfare State in South Africa

    • Elias Phaahla
    Pages 69-102

  6. State-Building and the Emergence of a Social Democratic Consensus in Colonial Mauritius, 1598–1968

    • Elias Phaahla
    Pages 103-136

  7. Retaining the Social Democratic Welfare Consensus in Post-colonial Mauritius, 1968–Present

    • Elias Phaahla
    Pages 137-170

  8. State (Re)-Building and Welfare State Development in Post-apartheid South Africa

    • Elias Phaahla
    Pages 171-196

  9. Welfare Paradigms of South Africa and Mauritius: Reflections and Prospects for Future Research

    • Elias Phaahla
    Pages 197-213

  10. Back Matter

    Pages 215-234
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Keywords

About this book

This study traces the welfare regimes of Mauritius and South Africa from the early 20th century focusing on the historical circumstances that gave rise to the dominance of state-funded old-age pensions within their respective welfare frameworks. It highlights intersections between powerful business interests, the state, and social forces that sowed the seeds of social entitlements. Due to different mobilisation efforts of these social actors, both countries have spawned welfare regimes of different persuasions. Mauritius has maintained its long-standing traditions as a social democracy stretching back to the late 1950s, while South Africa continues relentlessly in pursuit of a liberal welfare state, a journey it has treaded since 1928 when the old-age pension laws first came into effect. While unravelling the innermost workings of welfare state development in Mauritius and South Africa, it also probes the present political and economic circumstances that have kept these two welfare regimes resolutely unchanged. Against this backdrop, it draws parallels between current welfare outcomes and those of old as they continue to chart their way into the future.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Politics and International Relations, University of Johannesburg, Kingsway Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Elias Phaahla

About the author

Elias Phaahla, Ph.D. taught at the University of Cape Town (UCT) before joining University of Johannesburg where he is Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations. His main research interests include, but not limited to, the politics of welfare reform with particular focus placed on the old-age pension schemes of Mauritius and South Africa. This work was made possible through the support of the National Research Foundation (NRF).

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Political Economy of Divergent Welfare States in the Global South

  • Book Subtitle: The Case of South Africa and Mauritius

  • Authors: Elias Phaahla

  • Series Title: International Political Economy Series

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50450-1

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Political Science and International Studies, Political Science and International Studies (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-031-50449-5Published: 21 February 2024

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-50452-5Due: 23 March 2024

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-50450-1Published: 20 February 2024

  • Series ISSN: 2662-2483

  • Series E-ISSN: 2662-2491

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIX, 234

  • Number of Illustrations: 19 b/w illustrations, 2 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: International Relations, Development Studies, African Politics

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