Locating the welfare system of developing countries in the light of welfare regime models: The case of Bangladesh.

Abstract

The state, market, and families are the major players in mitigating human needs, though the state possesses fundamental responsibility about the redistribution process of the resources. However, the role of the state, market, and families varies among societies depending on the political ideology, economic strength, social structure and efficiency of the market. This paper examines the Esping-Andersen‟s analysis in the comparative social policy of today‟s world and its relevance to the emerging social protection approaches of the developing countries focusing on the welfare provisions of Bangladesh. The paper attempts to locate the pursuit of welfare system of Bangladesh in the light of welfare regimes model and concludes that Bangladesh has a distinct path dependency of welfare provisions which are not identical to the welfare regimes paradigm. The paper offers insight for the least developed and developing countries in understanding their welfare systems from the viewpoint of the regime approach.