This paper aims to critically review the tenets of the European theory of social quality and evaluate its applicability to Asian societies. It takes into account the constructs behind the term ‘the social’ by focusing on its ontological, epistemological, and ideological and ethical aspects followed by the meaning of quality. It reviews the interaction between the vertical pillar (i.e. tension between biographical and societal development) and the horizontal pillar (i.e. tension between the institutions and collective or individual actions). As a result of the interaction between the two pillars, social quality embraces four specific dimensions: social cohesion, socio-economic security, inclusion, and empowerment. Finally, the paper discusses the benefit and limitation of the European theory of social quality for Asian social quality research.