Towards a “modern monarchical welfare regime”: Identifying the welfare regime of brunei darussalam

What sort of welfare regime does Brunei have? How does it compare to other countries’ welfare schemes? How will it change as Brunei seeks to diversify away from its dependency on hydrocarbon resources? Using the “welfare diamond” framework, this article argues that Brunei currently operates a “protective welfare regime”. However, if it succeeds in reducing its reliance on hydrocarbon resources, that system will transition towards a modern monarchical welfare-regime model wherein self-reliant individuals and resilient communities will play an increasingly significant role while the role of the state will diminish.