Colonial State and Social Policy

Colonial State and Social Policy
Author: Kwong-Leung Tang
Publisher: University Press of America
Total Pages: 198
Release: 1998
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780761812043

Colonial State and Social Policy looks at the determinants of social policy in developing countries in general and Hong Kong in particular in an attempt to remedy inconsistent results, artificial dichotomies of quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and an obvious neglect of developing countries in the field of social policy research. Using an integrated approach of quantitative and historical analysis, the study tests out the variables as predicted by the dominant theories in the case of Hong Kong. Of the three major theoretical approaches that dominate research, the industrial society approach, the social democratic model, and the state centered theory, the state centered theory offers the best explanation of policy development. Meanwhile, historical analysis delineates four phases of social development which are marked by different approaches: residualism, "big bang" expansion, incrementalism, and privatization. The results of the study cast many doubts on the applicability of the concept of the "welfare-state regime," as the developmentalist state of Hong Kong has turned to social welfare to create a peaceful environment for its economic development and to enhance the legitimacy of the colonial system.

Repositioning the Hong Kong Government

Repositioning the Hong Kong Government
Author: Stephen Wing Kai Chiu
Publisher: Hong Kong University Press
Total Pages: 281
Release: 2012-04-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 988808349X

The relationship between government and society in Hong Kong has become an intensely debated topic as the complexities of governance grow and the old strategies of consensus building without genuine public participation fail to satisfy. Increasingly interventionist, yet lacking democratic credentials, the Hong Kong SAR government finds itself more and more limited in its capacity to implement policies and less able to rely on traditional allies. A society dissatisfied with old forms of governance has become ever more ready to mobilize itself outside of the formal political structures. This collection of studies by leading scholars examines the Hong Kong government's efforts to reposition itself in the economy and society under the pressures of globalization, economic and political restructuring and the rise of the civil society. Drawing on changing theoretical conceptions of state, market and citizenship and on comparisons with other Asian economies,Repositioning the Hong Kong Governmentoffers new interpretations of the problems of governance in Hong Kong and puts forward positive suggestions for resolving them.

Social Policy in Hong Kong

Social Policy in Hong Kong
Author: Paul Wilding
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 200
Release: 1997
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

A critical analysis of social policy in Hong Kong. An introductory chapter provides background information on the economic, social and political structure of the region. Subsequent chapters cover a variety of issues including health, housing and education. The final chapter constructs a balance sheet of successes and failures.

Social Unrest and the Poverty Problem in Hong Kong

Social Unrest and the Poverty Problem in Hong Kong
Author: Paul Siu Fai Yip
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2021-02-27
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 981336629X

This book discusses the policy and public health challenges in Hong Kong from the perspective of economic and social welfare challenges, specifically focusing on the poverty and inequality research supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) Charities Trust. Conducted by Prof Yip and his research team at the HKJC’s Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the University of Hong Kong across a five-year period, the book presents analyses based on high quality statistical data to explore some of the socioeconomic roots of the civil unrest in 2019, while also acknowledging the limitations and challenges of trying to build a stronger society under the constraints of the One Country Two Systems policy. Building on extensive research done by the research team and some governmental data, it provides concrete, evidence-based suggestions for reducing poverty in a high-income society, which are useful not only for Hong Kong but also for other societies experiencing similar challenges. It makes an original contribution to research into inequalities, poverty and social policies, and will be of interest to those seeking to understand the ongoing political challenges in Hong Kong and how they relate to the socioeconomic challenges and policies that affect the everyday lives of ordinary people there. It is relevant to academics, students and policymakers concerned with social inequalities and policy intervention.

Social Security Policy in Hong Kong

Social Security Policy in Hong Kong
Author: Chak Kwan Chan
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 229
Release: 2011
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0739149547

Social Security Policy in Hong Kong: From British Colony to Special Administrative Region of China, by Chak Kwan Chan, is the first book which systematically examines Hong Kong's social security policies across a period of 170 years. In particular, Chan analyses how Hong Kong, the world's freest economy, has maintained its small government by manipulating Chinese welfare ideologies.

The Market in Chinese Social Policy

The Market in Chinese Social Policy
Author: L. Wong
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 181
Release: 2001-05-23
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1403919933

The introduction of market reforms has radically transformed China. Marketizing Social Policy in China examines the impact of a shift to market principles in the critical sector of social policy. The authors demonstrate how social policy reform has been driven by economic transformation, as profound structural change produced inevitable knock-on effects in people's livelihood. Marketization in social policy in turn creates new needs and raises issues that challenge commonly accepted notions of public-private responsibilities in a society undergoing rapid and deep social change.

Poverty in a Rich Society

Poverty in a Rich Society
Author: Maggie Lau
Publisher: The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2017-03-15
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 962996788X

Hong Kong has remained a wealthy financial hub despite its exportoriented economy being adversely interrupted by the challenging global economic uncertainties and vulnerabilities that have occurred since the late 1990s. Yet, Hong Kong's income inequality is greater than that in any developed economy. The growing unequal income distribution and poverty in Hong Kong have aroused public concern. This book is a timely and important opportunity to advance the theory and practice of poverty and social exclusion measurement, and to conduct policy relevant analyses in Hong Kong. This collection was inspired by the workshop formed one key research output of the Poverty and Social Exclusion in Hong Kong (PSEHK) project funded by the Research Grants Council and the UK Economic and Social Research Council. It is hoped that this collection will inspire comparative research and policy analyses for better policy initiatives.

Handbook on East Asian Social Policy

Handbook on East Asian Social Policy
Author: Misa Izuhara
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 532
Release: 2013-01-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 085793029X

Dramatic socio-economic transformations over the last two decades have brought social policy and social welfare issues to prominence in many East Asian societies. Since the 1990s and in response to national as well as global pressure, there have been substantial developments and reforms in social policy in the region but the development paths have been uneven. Until recently, comparative analysis of East Asian social policy tends to have focused on the established welfare state of Japan and the emerging welfare regimes of four Tiger Economies. Much of the recent debate indeed preceded Chinas re-emergence onto the world economy. In this context, this Handbook brings China more fully into the contemporary social policy debates in East Asia. Organised around five themes from welfare state developments, to theories and methodologies, to current social policy issues, the Handbook presents original research from leading specialists in the fields, and provides a fresh and updated perspective to the study of social policy. Providing a comparative international approach, this Handbook will appeal to academics, researchers and students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels working in the fields of social policy, as well as policy makers and practitioners who are interested in social policy lessons from other societies.

Social Policy Reform in Hong Kong and Shanghai: A Tale of Two Cities

Social Policy Reform in Hong Kong and Shanghai: A Tale of Two Cities
Author: Linda Wong
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2016-07-22
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1315497999

As the richest cities in the world's most populous nation, Hong Kong and Shanghai have recently experienced dynamic growth spurred by more and better-managed capital. These cities also have social problems whose solutions will cost money. Their urban populations are aging. Health finance at the level these "First World" cities demand threatens to consume a large portion of the municipal budgets. Eldercare and social security are now less well covered by traditional Chinese families. Education has become more complex and public tuition, where it occurs, brings with it official plans for schools. Immigrants have flocked to Shanghai from inland China, and Hong Kong's border has become a protector of the former colony's high productivity jobs. Housing problems also have deeply affected both cities, albeit in somewhat different ways. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the similarities and differences between social policies in the two cities. Each chapter covers a different issue: health finance, housing, education, labor, poverty and social security, eldercare, and migration and competitiveness. The contributors explore pertinent developments in each city and analyze the similarities and differences between the two cities' approaches to social policies. They focus on policy reform and the interface between social policy and its environment. One main theme throughout the book is the extent to which spending for capital accumulation is in conflict with spending for social policies.

Welfare Capitalism in East Asia

Welfare Capitalism in East Asia
Author: I. Holliday
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 220
Release: 2003-09-18
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0230597564

Social Policy has been a key dimension of dynamic economic growth in East Asia's 'little tigers' and is also a prominent strand of their responses to the financial crisis of the late 1990s. This systematic comparative analysis of social policy in the region focuses on the key sectors of education, health, housing and social security. It sets these sectoral analyses in wider contexts of debates about developmental states, the East Asian welfare model and globalization.