ABSTRACT
Since the Second World War, Asian countries have experienced unprecedented economic growth. The development of Southeast Asian countries, with the exception of Singapore, began later than that of the countries in East Asia. However, in recent decades, Southeast Asian countries have invested in the development of their own welfare regimes, and have built up a system, with mixture of public (formal) and private (informal) contributions, that offers support to individuals, even though public funding is limited. The system is based on individual work and intrafamily assistance, which are based on their traditional norms and values, in a liberal capitalistic economy. Mutual assistance in local community is still important, but it is gradually being replaced by institutionalised nongovernmental organisations. The development of a welfare system, however unstable, has received growing attention in Asia.
