Welfare, Development and Growth: Lessons from South Africa

By Francie Lund on December 02, 2009

The book, "Building Decent Societies: Rethinking the Role of Social Security in Development" builds the case for a comprehensive social security system to be developed in all countries – to eliminate desperate conditions of poverty, reverse growing inequality and sustain economic growth. It gives the history of the rich countries in meeting poverty and shows how the strategies in the poor countries can be greatly improved. While acknowledging that the volume presents evidence from OECD countries that there can be a coexistence of social spending, economic growth and stability, this chapter by WIEGO's Francie Lund asks: If this combination is appropriate for the north, why should it be inappropriate for the south? And is there evidence from the south that it is indeed possible and appropriate? This chapter focuses on South Africa, which contains both the affluence of the north, and the unacceptable scale of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.

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