Most ASEAN economies are highly dependent on international market. This process of globalization is affecting the autonomy and the capacity of governments to pursue independent public policies. Recent studies on social p이icy and spending in the era of globalization have largely shown that increased exposure to the global economy is associated with an expansion of social policy and spending. However, it is showned in this paper that globalization's effect on social policy is conditional on domestic political regimes. Greater openness to international trade, together with democratic openings in most major ASEAN economies, gave strong incentives to greater attention to social policy and issues. And this expansion of the social commitments, in turn, tended to be an important tool for improving the quality of life and income of the population.