Biaohuis (标会) in Singapore during the 1960s to 1980s: a solution forgotten

• Main Author: Soh, Zen
• Other Authors: Els van Dongen
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2024
• Subjects: Arts and Humanities; Biaohui; Singapore; Tontine; History
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/174406
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Before the 1990s, the biaohui (标会) had been a popular form of informal financial aid among the Chinese community in Singapore. Although the biaohui saw use among Chinese of all income levels, there were clear distinctions between those used by the common folk and those used by businessmen. This study focuses on the “ordinary” biaohui used by the common folk and zooms in on the period between the 1960s and 1980s. The dearth of scholarly research on the biaohui in Singapore makes this study heavily reliant on primary sources such as newspaper reports and oral histories conducted by the author. Key areas for investigation include why the biaohui had a high rate of female participation, why the institution seemingly peaked in the 1970s, and why it showed signs of decline as quickly as the 1980s. By complicating the history of biaohuis to show how they served as financial solutions to shortcomings in the social and economic structure of Singapore, the hope is to bring greater attention and understanding to this largely forgotten informal financial institution, as well as the people who used them.