Institutional Shifts of Four East Asian Developmental Housing Systems

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the historical pathways of the developmental housing systems of four East Asian tigers (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan) to identify the institutional factors of systemic transformations and specify similarities and differences by using cross-national data and performing data analysis. The main results are as follows: (1) historically, the four housing systems have been deeply embedded in market-oriented, pro-homeownership policies; (2) massive provision of large-scale housing coincided with industrialization, urbanization, and modernization to tackle escalating demands for homeownership; (3) public rental housing has been severely marginalized and residualized; (4) the minimalist approach to public housing aggravated the institutional vulnerability of the states in the face of economic globalization; (5) the housing transformation in the global era was triggered by institutional factors, including political power shifts, economic restructuring, and socio-demographic transitions; and (6) it is clear that the developmental housing systems were redirected in recent decades to overcome their institutional shortcomings. Despite the similarities, each developmental state′s housing sector has unique features that have formed their diverse pathways.