The crisis in Asia has caused economic hardship and brought an end to the 'economic miracle' of fast economic growth in the region. This book asks whether the 1997/8 crisis marks a break with the past and signals an end to 'Asian' ways of running economies. The book examines the social, economic, and political modes of governance in the region and finds a shifting balance between rule by the market, rule by connections, and rule by force.

The introduction of market reforms has radically transformed China. The Market in Chinese Social Policy examines the impact of a shift to market principles in the critical sector of social policy. The contributors 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.