Why have so many countries in Africa adopted social protection programmes over the past decade? This book challenges the common assumption that this phenomenon has been entirely driven by international development agencies, instead focusing on the critical role of political dynamics within specific African countries. The expansion of social protection systems requires a fundamental reconsideration of our understanding of social development. This book takes on this challenge, providing rich theoretical and empirical analyses of the political, ideational, economic and transnational forces shaping these important policy shifts. It will become a significant landmark in the study of social welfare policy and will greatly influence the next generation of research on social welfare and inclusive development in the Global South.