Singapore

Social Policy in Singapore: A Confucian Model?

Habibullah Khan

Abstract

According to this paper, Singapore’ success in economic and social development in recent decades has been due to pragmatic policies and general public acceptance of a limited government role in such areas as health, social security. Pragmatism has consisted of placing a significant part of the burden of social welfare on families and individuals rather than on the state while, at the same time, using government policies to ensure that citizens do take social welfare objectives seriously. The pre-eminent example of this is Singapore’s social security system which is based on compulsory savings by individuals and firms, and are managed and invested by the Central Provident Fund (CPF). This provides income security for retirees in their post-working years without placing an excessive fiscal burden on the state. Similarly, the health care system is characterized by a pragmatic mix of personal payments, limited national insurance coverage, and employment-based health care benefits. However, in the sphere of education, government spending has been substantial in recognition of the fact that Singapore’s economic prospects were tied to the availability of a highly-skilled workforce. At present, higher education in Singapore remains highly subsidized and private sector involvement_especially in terms of funding and management_remains low.

World Bank Institute

Copyright © 2001 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. First Printing January 2001 The World Bank enjoys copyright under protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. This material may nonetheless be copied for research, educational, or scholarly purposes only in the member countries of The World Bank. Material in this series is subject to revision. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this document are entirely those of the...