Trouble in paradise: Ethnic conflict in Mauritius

This article identifies the factors that led to inter‐ethnic violence in the Indian Ocean island state of Mauritius early in 1999. Until then, Mauritius had been one of the most successful of developing countries, achieving rapid economic growth, huge improvements in the average standard of living, and the consolidation of democratic institutions and procedures. Despite the multi‐ethnic character of its population, it avoided ethnic violence for more than three decades after becoming independent in 1968. We demonstrate that the increased inequalities associated with economic growth created social strains; that the failure of the education system to adapt to new social needs has helped to perpetuate inequalities; and that the fact that inequality partly coincides with ethnic divisions transformed those social strains into an explosive situation. Our analysis suggests a number of steps that might be taken to reduce the likelihood of a recurrence of inter‐ethnic violence in Mauritius and identifies some general lessons from the Mauritian experience.