State familism in action: aging policy and intergenerational support in Singapore

Abstract

AbstractSingapore started to tackle the challenges of an aging society in the 1980s after its fertility declined to sub-replacement levels. A core component of the city-state’s aging policy is to foster intergenerational support, which is based on the value of filial piety, harmonious intergenerational relations, and the elderly as a resource. This paper introduces the concept of state familism to capture Singapore’s comprehensive efforts to strengthen the role of the family in old-age support while promoting mutual assistance across generations. The relevant policies range from the Central Provident Fund, housing, taxation, to old-age support packages. These efforts distinguish Singapore from other Asian countries where the role of the family is sometimes stressed more in rhetoric than in action. State familism in Singapore has drawn criticisms as it is perceived as an attempt to reduce the government’s responsibility. In the recent decade, the Singapore state significantly increased direct financial support for the elderly while keeping the policy of fostering intergenerational support in place. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of Singapore’s state familism for China and other countries.