The divergent evolution of East Asian welfare states: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore

Abstract

Abstract Existing regime approaches characterize East Asian welfare states as possessing low levels of government intervention and investment in social welfare. However, democratization in the 1980s changed the socioeconomic structures of East Asian countries––leading them to rethink their welfare commitments. The late 1990s financial crisis and globalization also accelerated the reorganization of their welfare systems. Using the cases of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore, this article examines the diverse pathways of welfare development in this region. East Asian countries adopted more inclusive and redistributive welfare systems during periods of intense inter‐party political competition. On the other hand, amid less political competition, they either retained minimal welfare provisions or retrenched welfare.