By Gong Sen, China Center for International Knowledge on Development (CIKD)

Research Report, No.165, 2017 (Total 5240) 2017-12-1

Abstract: Although the basic social policy projects of major Eastern and Western developed countries are different, they have all played an important role in enhancing the national identity and capacity. In terms of national identity, the British National Health Service System established common values for its four relatively independent areas; the United States’ Federal Social Security System counterbalanced the strong localism tradition; Germany’s industrial management of social security system is a supplementary means to weaken the tendency of local division; Singapore’s Public House System created a common bond for the multi-ethnic immigrant country; Japan’s and South Korea’s Education Equality have laid the capital foundation for the society of their respect countries. In terms of national capacity, these new systems have not only met the requirements of the citizens’ basic social and economic rights, but also strengthened the basic powers of their respective countries, particularly in population management, income management and public services. In the process of China’s modernization, China should not only maintain the foundation of traditional culture, but also put great effort into selecting and improving basic social policy projects, so as to enhance national identity and governance capacity.

Key words: state construction, social policy, governance capacity