ABSTRACT
This article explores some aspects of the nature of the family relationships which underlie Asian social policies, and raises some questions about the strains they are likely to face. It argues that the distinction that is sometimes drawn between ‘informal’ family based systems in Asia and ‘formal’ systems in Western countries confuses cause and effect. The reason that Asian systems appear ‘informal’ is because of the living arrangements on which they are based. Where these have changed due to economic change, formal institutions have started to appear. While there is still a difference with Western arrangements, it is less stark than many Asian and Western analysts often assume.
