Welfare Approaches in the Global South

Question 1

What is the rationale behind welfare policies?

Answer 1

In a democratic society, there is a lot of interdependence that allows for growth. For example, children are dependent on their parents, parents rely on their work etc. This value is imbibed in the state when it actively participates in welfare policies

Question 2

Historical associations of social protections

Answer 2

mentioned a lot in the quran, arthashastra etc. In the 19th century, there was formal legislation in Europe dealing with social protections. During the interwar period as well, Keynesian approaches to state intervention took place.

Question 3

Global south late to Welfare laws

Answer 3

Due to colonialism, the global south did not follow the eurocentric approach. In colonial systems, the grassroots community did not have any stake in governance, therefore there was no attempt to deal with poverty, illiteracy etc.

Question 4

Why were protections kept away in the colonised countries?

Answer 4

The objective of the industrialised nation was to generate a productive and healthy workforce. They gave social protection to workers in order to protect them from rapid industrialisation. This is in stark contrast with the colonial states.
In the colonial states, there was hardly any industrialisation and the economy relied on agriculture. The working class is highly unorganised. In the Global South, universal social protection is not an option unlike the West.

Question 5

Difference between social protections in the west vs south

Answer 5

Unlike the West, redistributive policies are not organised from the vantage point of affluence, but to extend a helping hand to the needy.
Therefore, universalisation of social welfare is not possible as the trajectories of welfare strategy in the global South have been exactly the opposite of that of the West. Therefore, each country in the global South has their own normative and pragmatic justifications while designing welfare policies. The paper presents a few such overlapping discourses which generally guide the formulation of welfare policies in the global South (as in why people formulate welfare policies)

Question 6

Modernisation strategy and Welfare

Answer 6

This takes an economic outlook on welfare. Instead of spending money on social issues like unemployment or illiteracy, the governments spends money on boosting the economy, increasing productivity in agriculture and industries. It must not intervene in social problems unless urgent. Social protection policies are subordinate to economic development.

Question 7

Criticism of modernisation strategy

Answer 7

However, it falls short of addressing the issues of social and political justice. The elites may be successfully co-opted in the strategy of rapid industrialisation; but protection of the marginalised becomes a casualty.

Question 8

Power Resources Approach

Answer 8

Welfare strategies are adopted by political actors keeping in mind their relative power vis-à-vis other actors to create strong linkages with their respective supporters. The explanation based on the use of power resources being the main motivation behind the formulation of welfare policies in the global South is by far the most widely used.
Welfare policies are designed by the politicians keeping in mind their vote bank and other factors like caste, ethnicity, and gender. The numerically large community gets the welfare schemes to lure them to vote in favor of the present dispensation.

Question 9

Criticism of the power resources approach?

Answer 9

This is not the case, just giving welfare policies doesn’t mean you’re always going to win election. Parties also lose despite giving welfare policies and it is not the sole consideration for a person before giving votes.

Question 10

Basic Needs approach to welfare

Answer 10

1. Opposite of the modernisation approach, focuses on the social problems.
2. instead of trickle down effect, focuses on a trickle up effect wherein social empowerment is expected to increase welfare of the state.
3. Community-based projects like cooperatives help generate income and aid in developing the standard of living in rural areas. This is an example of the basic needs approach.

Question 11

Criticism of the basic needs approach

Answer 11

It gives social and political hegemony to the ruling class. The ruling class roll out a few social policies to ensure the poor do not cause an uprising. Uneven access to social protection policies results in uneven development of the poor class. Social policy is also used to manipulate and mobilise labour for development.
The governments in the global South do not jeopardise the interest of the affluent class by taxing them moderately. Therefore, the social welfare spending in poor countries is either limited or heavily dependent on international aid agencies, which in turn attempt to replicate Western institutions and values, thus escalating a dependency syndrome.

Question 12

Democratic Responsiveness

Answer 12

So policies are formed because of the needs of the median voters and by assessing their needs.
It argues that the will and wish of the voters with respect to social demand is the primary reason why we have welfare schemes or policies. This is because the political parties cater to the voters’ expectations and demands to come into power.
Since the median voters in most countries are generally poor and underprivileged, policies which favour them could be regarded as responsive
This may take various forms such as allocation of decision-making power from central units to local units, special funding for underdeveloped regions, targeted schemes for marginalised communities.

Question 13

What are the four approaches

Answer 13

Modernisation
Power resources
Basic needs
Democratic responsiveness