The Political Economy of Divergent Welfare States in the Glob... - 9783031504525

The Political Economy of Divergent Welfare States in the Global SouthThe Case of South Africa and Mauritius\nAuthor(s): Elias Phaahla\nFormat: Paperback\nPublisher: Springer International Publishing AG, Switzerland\nImprint: Palgrave Macmillan\nISBN-13: 9783031504525, 978-3031504525\nSynopsis\nThis 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 we.