Imagine this: if you do things right—right for you and right for society—the government will start supplementing your cost of living. But if you do things that could be harmful to yourself or others, the government will start taking away assistance.
You won’t get loans from banks and housing aid. Your transportation and groceries cost double.
The whole idea is simple: reward good deeds, punish bad behavior. If your actions don’t benefit you or the people around you, why should others—through their taxes—keep paying for your needs, security, and comfort?
Sounds fair? Well, one country in Asia is already doing it.
REWARDING GOOD ACTS, PUNISHING BAD ONES
This is what China is experimenting with. It’s called the Social Credit System, launched as a trial in Nanjing.
Everyone starts with 1,000 points.
Do good, gain points. Examples include:
- Going to school
- Donating blood
- Caring for your children or elderly parents
- Doing charity work
Why it’s important for Asians to have a family.
High scorers get rewarded with:
- Priority in school admissions and employment
- Easier access to loans and credit
- Deposit-free bike and car rentals
- Free gym facilities
- Cheaper public transport
- Shorter hospital wait times
- Fast-track work promotions
- Jumping the queue for public housing
- Tax breaks
But if you do anything deemed “bad”—like joining a cult, committing traffic offenses (including drunk driving or jaywalking), or speaking against the government—you lose points.
Low scorers can be:
- Denied licenses, permits, or social services
- Barred from booking flights or high-speed trains
- Restricted from accessing credit
- Ineligible for government jobs
- Denied private school access
- Publicly shamed—yes, that means names, photos, and ID numbers displayed on screens in public areas
The lowest possible score? 600.
HOW DO THEY TRACK YOU?
In China, most public transportation is government-owned. Commuters use a national transport card that also functions like a debit card—accepted almost everywhere. Because it’s convenient, almost everyone uses it.
Add to that:
- Banking transactions
- Internet search history
- E-commerce records
- Surveillance cameras with facial recognition
And you’ve got a system that knows your every move.
SINGAPORE HAS ITS OWN VERSION
Singapore and several other Asian countries already have softer versions of this system.
For example:
- Married college graduates are encouraged to have more children—with extra government assistance and better housing perks.
- People with criminal records don’t receive government aid.
- Citizens with outstanding contributions to society get official recognition and rewards.
For example:
- Married college graduates are encouraged to have more children—with extra government assistance and better housing perks.
- People with criminal records don’t receive government aid.
- Citizens with outstanding contributions to society get official recognition and rewards.
THE GOOD AND THE BAD
Critics, especially from countries that value privacy, call this a big no-no.
They argue that allowing the government to monitor and judge citizens’ behavior is dystopian—and that access to food, housing, healthcare, and education should be a right, not a reward.
But here’s the thing: cultural values differ. In many Asian societies, privileges are earned, not automatically granted. Being born into a country doesn’t mean you get to live however you want without responsibility to others.
Of course, such systems can be abused—especially by corrupt officials. But that risk exists in almost every system humans design.
For now, Nanjing is living the experiment. And many residents, especially those with high scores, are seeing tangible rewards for good behavior—while those with lower scores face real consequences.
Would you want your country to try something like this?
