Social Policies in Samoa
SOCIAL POLICIES IN SMALL STATES SERIES
The country case studies and thematic papers in this series examine social policy issues facing small states and the implications for economic development. They show how, despite their inherent vulnerability, some small states have been successful in improving their social indicators because of the complementary social and economic policies they have implemented.
CASE STUDY – SAMOA
Samoa is widely known as a role model in the Pacific region for its economic and social achievements since gaining independence in 1962. This in-depth study traces the history of government policy and examines the fundamentals underpinning the country’s social development progress: the welfare state; social cohesion; participative democracy and the power of jurisdiction. It also examines how the fa’a Samoa, the Samoan culture, and securing external assistance enabled the country to build resilience in the face of a number of crises in the 1990s – including two cyclones and a taro blight.
Contents
Foreword
Summary
About the author
Introduction
1. Political and Socio-cultural Background
2. Pre-independence Economic and Social Development
2.1 Economic development
2.2 Social development
2.2.1 Health
2.2.2 Education
2.2.3 Social welfare
2.3 Water, sanitation and housing
2.4 Employment
3. Post-independence Progress
3.1 Economic progress
3.2 Social progress
3.2.1 Education
3.2.2 Health
3.2.3 Poverty and inequality
3.3 Water and sanitation
4. Design and Scope of Social Policy
4.1 Education, health and other social service provision
4.1.1 Education
4.1.2 Health
4.2 Water supply and housing
4.3 Social protection
4.4 Redistribution
4.5 Reproduction
4.6 Role of the family
4.7 Design, priorities and impact of government strategies
5. The Welfare State, Social Cohesion, Participative Democracy, Power of Jurisdiction and Social Policy Design
5.1 The welfare state
5.1.1 The welfare state and the design and practice of social policy
5.2 Social cohesion
5.2.1 Social cohesion and the design and practice of social policy
5.3 Participative democracy
5.3.1 Participatory democracy and the design and practice of social policy
5.4 Power of jurisdiction
5.4.1 Power of jurisdiction and the design and practice of social policy
6. Response to Crises
6.1 The crises
6.1.1 The economic crisis of the late 1970s and early 1980s
6.1.2 The cyclones and Polynesian Airlines
6.2 Response to crises
7. Conclusion
8. Postscript
References
About the contributor
Desmond U Amosa (Author)
Desmond U Amosa (Ph.D) is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Management and Public Administration in the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of the South Pacific Suva, Fiji.Browse subjects
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