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

This chapter brings the lessons learned in this study into a conclusion. It identifies the two welfare states in Mauritius and South Africa as social democracies and developmental welfare state, respectively. The latter is beholden to universal principles akin to those in Scandinavia, while the former is modelled on the liberal welfare state similar to those in the Anglo-Saxon Commonwealth. The seeds of divergence are embedded in the make-up of their economies, which were tamed differently despite sharing a liberal orientation. South Africa’s own is shown to have adopted liberalism wholesale, while that of Mauritius continues in its heterodox form. This disparity could not have spawned more different outcomes as the broad-based movement in both countries varyingly conditioned the commanding heights of the economy.