Evaluate the success of social policies in either India (1947–1964) or South Africa (1991–2000).

Responses should offer an appraisal of the successes and failures of social policy in their chosen country. They may focus on policies towards women and education, coupled with social policies that were distinctive to either India or South Africa, such as the caste system or apartheid.

Indicative content

India

• Nehru’s educational policies saw the establishment of key educational institutions, such as the Institutes of Medical Sciences, Technology and Management, and the extension of primary, secondary and adult education.
• ‘Untouchability’ was abolished by Article 17 of the Indian constitution and outlawed in 1955, but it may be argued that the law failed to produce the desired change.
• Laws were passed that promoted monogamy, women’s right to divorce and to inherit land and wealth although it may be argued that attempts to improve the rights of women met with limited success.
• A land reform programme was attempted in order to reduce the concentration of land ownership among the wealthy but its application was limited.
• Attempts were made to promote Hindi as the national language, although resistance from non-Hindu speakers as well as the universality of English meant that it was not completely successful.
• Some answers may question Nehru’s top-down approach to reform and propose that a focus on the grass roots may have produced better results. The placing of so much responsibility on state governments to enforce legislation may also be seen as a reason for limited success.

South Africa

• With regard to education, attempts were made to integrate schools and to provide a better standard of education, although these attempts had only limited impact on improvements in teaching and attainment for the black majority.
• Public health policy was intended to direct investment towards primary and community care. The success of this policy was affected, however, by the closure of nursing colleges and the reduction of doctor’s salaries as this reduced the numbers of trained medical staff. The existence of an AIDS epidemic also the increased pressure on health care facilities (as well as
  other social programmes).
• Discrimination on the grounds of gender was prohibited by the constitution, and new laws were passed to promote women’s rights. There were significant barriers to success in this field, however, and progress was limited.

The above material is an indication of what candidates may elect to write about in their responses. However, it is not exhaustive and no set answer is required.

Examiners and moderators are reminded of the need to apply the markbands that provide the “best fit” to the responses given by candidates and to award credit wherever it is possible to do so.

[20 marks]