The Influence of Political and Economic Changes on Social Policy in Tanzania: The Shift between the Three Political and Economic Regimes

The article looked at the influence of political and economic changes to social policy. It used desk review to explore the interaction between political and economic changes and social policy in the context of Tanzania, from after independence to date. It appears that there is close interaction between the two variables. Across the history of Tanzania, political and economic changes, such as change from mono-party to multiparty political system and from socialism to liberalism, have been producing direct effects to social policy. Immediately after independence the country continued with the economic and political systems inherited from colonial regime, which were basically capitalistic and multiparty systems respectively. Social policy in this era was more market based, but received slight changes compared to colonial period to reflect few changes introduced by the new government. Socialism (ujamaa) period witnessed significant developments of social policy as a result of changes in political and economic policies. The state played its paternalistic role by ensuring provision of free basic services to people as required by ujamaa policy. However, the economic crises in 1970s and 1980s that led to collapse of ujamaa policy marked the beginning of liberalism, following the intervention by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Here we witnessed a negative effect, at least in temporary bases, in terms of people’s welfare (due to state disengagement in free service delivery) but with more positive effect in terms of engagement of people in the policy making process, probably due to growth of democracy stimulated by multiparty political system. The recent developments have realised significant economic developments which consequently improved social services delivery by the state. In general, effects of political and economic policies in Tanzania are well reflected in its social policy across the history.