Lee was ideologically neutral. Is China willing to admit that it was on the wrong path when it was governed by the Communists?
Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and the present government of Singapore have been denying residency rights to children of Gurkha police officers of the Singapore Police Force since 1959. These police officers are recruited from Nepal on a 22 year long contract to serve and protect the nation at all times and are allowed to bring their families to live with them under a treaty signed back in 1950 when the nation was a British colony. Almost all the children are born and grow up in Singapore. However, upon reaching their 18th birthday, they are forced to leave and go back to Nepal even though they were born and educated there.
My father was an inspector who served for 29 years with distinction until his retirement in 1978. During the inter racial riots of the 60s, while there were incidents when Chinese officers joined their fellow Chinese during the riots with Malay and Indian officers following suit, leading to a breakdown in law and order, Gurkha officers remained steadfast and neutral in their duties during the riots with many including my father getting injured standing in the middle and trying to prevent the different ethnic groups from battling one another.
Many things have changed for the better around the world in the 21st century. Even in the British Army, a much older institution, where Gurkha soldiers served as per the same treaty with those Gurkha police officers of Singapore, they have amended their policies where since 1999, they have allowed Gurkha soldiers...
My father was an inspector who served for 29 years with distinction until his retirement in 1978. During the inter racial riots of the 60s, while there were incidents when Chinese officers joined their fellow Chinese during the riots with Malay and Indian officers following suit, leading to a breakdown in law and order, Gurkha officers remained steadfast and neutral in their duties during the riots with many including my father getting injured standing in the middle and trying to prevent the different ethnic groups from battling one another.
Many things have changed for the better around the world in the 21st century. Even in the British Army, a much older institution, where Gurkha soldiers served as per the same treaty with those Gurkha police officers of Singapore, they have amended their policies where since 1999, they have allowed Gurkha soldiers...
1
...Even though we struggled during the years after our father retired in a new country where we were strangers, one country's loss is another nation's gain, and for this, we are immensely grateful to our adopted nations, the United States and Canada.
Even though we are completely settled in the western world, deep down we still love Singapore. After all, it is where we were born and spent some of our happiest years growing up. My mother passed away in 2011, and my father is 85 years old, and weak and feeble. It is time for for Singapore to remember the sacrifices and contributions that the Gurkha officers have done since the nation's founding.
Even though we are completely settled in the western world, deep down we still love Singapore. After all, it is where we were born and spent some of our happiest years growing up. My mother passed away in 2011, and my father is 85 years old, and weak and feeble. It is time for for Singapore to remember the sacrifices and contributions that the Gurkha officers have done since the nation's founding.
2
Let's dispense with the progressive armchair pseudo-intellectual crocodile tears and get right down to what this is: a dead dictator who killed thousands of innocent people. Let him be remembered as nothing more than another example of tyranny disguised as democracy.
1
When and where? Facts?
4
Critics come and go but Lee Kwan Yew's shining legacy remains. Transformed from a mosquito infested reject of Malaysia to a leading independent commercial center, very few can deny that Singapore holds its exemplary position in the world because of his policies. What country can boast of little corruption, low crime rates, a 90%+ home ownership rate, an excellent educational system, excellent infrastructure,little government monetary wastage and annual campaigns of money back to its citizens? Those who criticize take all of this for granted. Sure, his policies were tough but what is the alternative? Take a look at Singapore's regional neighbors. Now choose.
7
The best anecdote of LKY's incorruptibility is when he turned down a $3.3 million bribe by the CIA. Search "CIA tried to bribe Lee Kuan Yew 1961" on Google.
Many leaders of small countries will accept this bribe to the detriment of their people. Lee was different and the proof is in the outcome.
Many leaders of small countries will accept this bribe to the detriment of their people. Lee was different and the proof is in the outcome.
6
Lee Kuan Yew brought prosperity to Singapore with an authoritarian system designed to outlast him, but that legacy may be ill-suited for the 21st-century challenges facing it.
Singapore was transformed under Lee's leadership into a wealthy finance and manufacturing powerhouse.
To give his government a free hand to fashion a new society, Lee systematically crushed dissent, muzzled the press and imprisoned political opponents. A social compact of authoritarian government in exchange for a guarantee of prosperity has endured for two generations.
Now, it is increasingly under strain.
Singaporeans prize the advantages such as low crime, harmony between the Chinese majority and Malay Muslim minority and almost zero corruption. But an increasing number worry that the ruling party has pushed their country in the wrong direction. Income inequality has soared and large-scale immigration has increased competition for jobs and depressed wages.
Singapore was transformed under Lee's leadership into a wealthy finance and manufacturing powerhouse.
To give his government a free hand to fashion a new society, Lee systematically crushed dissent, muzzled the press and imprisoned political opponents. A social compact of authoritarian government in exchange for a guarantee of prosperity has endured for two generations.
Now, it is increasingly under strain.
Singaporeans prize the advantages such as low crime, harmony between the Chinese majority and Malay Muslim minority and almost zero corruption. But an increasing number worry that the ruling party has pushed their country in the wrong direction. Income inequality has soared and large-scale immigration has increased competition for jobs and depressed wages.
2
Singapore is kind of a strange place, almost antiseptic in its cleanliness and neatness. It's clean and modern, has good education and healthcare, and it's also kind of boring. Still, against the backdrop of what it was, and what it has become, Singapore is impressive. I do think the government/society need to relax a bit and allow for more freedom of expression and more opposing views.
Singapore also has the same problem as a lot of first world countries: it "imports" immigrants to do the low-wage work such as house-cleaning, elder care, child care, et al. I
Singapore also has the same problem as a lot of first world countries: it "imports" immigrants to do the low-wage work such as house-cleaning, elder care, child care, et al. I
4
It's one place where it takes a keen eye to find the Third World, but it is there. Check out Arab Street, or the Sloane Court Hotel.
1
Lee Kuan Yew was, without a doubt, a great statesman. He implemented pragmatic and farsighted reforms, knowing that the benefit from persevering was much more valuable than whatever the short term gains from cutting corners would be.
His one mistake, in my opinion, is not realizing that the nation that he built needs to have institutions that are bigger than the men in them. In the end, he succumbed to pride and thought that he could leave his greatest achievement, in the hands of a next generation that is taking over simply by being related to him. He was very sensitive and bristled at accusations of nepotism, which he fought vigorously. This only proves that he knew, deep down, that something was wrong.
No matter how honorable and noble the character of a man is, he cannot hope to control his descendants in the future, and as sure as there are Lee Kuan Yews in the world, there are also Kim Jong-uns. No matter how enlightened it is, despotism is Singapore's Achilles heel, and it's without a doubt in my mind that they will suffer because of it. History is full of examples.
His one mistake, in my opinion, is not realizing that the nation that he built needs to have institutions that are bigger than the men in them. In the end, he succumbed to pride and thought that he could leave his greatest achievement, in the hands of a next generation that is taking over simply by being related to him. He was very sensitive and bristled at accusations of nepotism, which he fought vigorously. This only proves that he knew, deep down, that something was wrong.
No matter how honorable and noble the character of a man is, he cannot hope to control his descendants in the future, and as sure as there are Lee Kuan Yews in the world, there are also Kim Jong-uns. No matter how enlightened it is, despotism is Singapore's Achilles heel, and it's without a doubt in my mind that they will suffer because of it. History is full of examples.
2
As an academic once in Singapore, I used to tell people that if Singapore ever looked good as a tiny, nanny state, it was because the other countries, especially Western ones, were becoming poorly managed and in internal disarray. Lee's steadfastness and his destruction of pluralism did not make it hard for his high -growth vision to be realized. It would be wrong though to buy his incessant mantra his harsh actions were only to benefit Singapore. He also had a bullying and authoritarian personality. Rivals had t be crushed because he could not operate in a world that he didn't dominate. Throughout, his cabinets and PAP parliamentarians were shockingly groveling. Many times critics would turn out to be right (e.g. Prof Rajaratnam warning in the 1960s of population contraction) but were ridiculed by Lee's men. He just had to dominate conversations (ask Mahathir of Malaysia, no fool whatever else he might be about their meetings). In the end, he produced a one dimensional Singapore that belonged more to him than his citizens. When asked why so many of Singapore's best were migrating his retort was that even better foreigners were coming in. He was impressive but also flawed. His personal and family preoccupations (daughter never married, fears about being culturally rootless, narrow academic credentialism) became national issues. So, if in the end LKY looks good, it is because so much has failed elsewhere. He deserves some respect.
1
I remember seeing an interview with LKY on TV many years ago:
Reporter: "Doesn't it bother you that Singapore has the highest rate of executions of any country in the world?"
LKY: "Why would it bother me? They're all convicted criminals."
The result is the safest, most crime-free place I've ever been.
Reporter: "Doesn't it bother you that Singapore has the highest rate of executions of any country in the world?"
LKY: "Why would it bother me? They're all convicted criminals."
The result is the safest, most crime-free place I've ever been.
3
I read about Singapore and wonder if Israel is on its way to emulating Singapore. If the theocrats and the oligarchs that control so much of the Israeli economy have their way it might.
I've always thought that the way to prosperity for a country mired in the morass of problems that are endemic in the third world is through a no nonsense, committed to progress strongman like Mr. Lee. The question is, how do you go from authoritarianism to democracy after your economic goals are achieved?
1
Singapore Airlines offered the longest non-stop flight on earth, until late 2014. Singapore to Newark, NJ. 19 hours, Airbus A340 4-engine jet.
2
Certainly the way western democracy is shaping up into a legalized "corrupt" model, a country like Singapore with significantly better outcomes for its citizens in terms of diversity of cultures, education, meritocracy, and general well-being looks quite enviable.
Bringing about this transformation though needed for the "eye to be on the ball" all the time. It could easily have gone very wrong.
Bringing about this transformation though needed for the "eye to be on the ball" all the time. It could easily have gone very wrong.
4
Ralph Waldo Emerson: 'To be yourself... to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
In later life Mr Lee calmed himself with 20 minutes of meditation, reciting a mantra he was taught by a Christian friend: “Ma-Ra-Na-Tha.” The friend he credits with bringing a measure of tranquillity to his mind is Rev. Fr Joseph H. Pereira of Mumbai, India. Fr Joe is a revered social activist, yogi, and teacher of Christian meditation.
In later life Mr Lee calmed himself with 20 minutes of meditation, reciting a mantra he was taught by a Christian friend: “Ma-Ra-Na-Tha.” The friend he credits with bringing a measure of tranquillity to his mind is Rev. Fr Joseph H. Pereira of Mumbai, India. Fr Joe is a revered social activist, yogi, and teacher of Christian meditation.
1
The final proof of Lee Kuan Yew's success is that people want to come to Singapore: 38% of the population in foreign-born (13% of Americans are immigrants). From construction laborers and domestic helpers to financiers and tech billionaires (like investor Jim Rogers and Facebook co-founder Edward Saverin), millions of Asians, Americans and Europeans have made Singapore their home.
2
Truly, he was the greatest leader of the 20th Century. He gave the model
which was so successful the leaders of the PRC adopted it and China
became an economic powerhouse. In 31 years he brought Singapore
to such a situation that today the per capita GDP of Singapore is
greater than that of the United States.
which was so successful the leaders of the PRC adopted it and China
became an economic powerhouse. In 31 years he brought Singapore
to such a situation that today the per capita GDP of Singapore is
greater than that of the United States.
2
One of the most amazing nights of my life occurred in 1991 when I hosted FORTUNE magazine's International CEO Forum in Singapore. The last night of the event, we held a dinner for all of the CEOs in attendance. Margaret Thatcher was a speaker at the event and Lee Kuan Yew was the dinner speaker. Mr. Yew and Lady Thatcher were at my table. Lady Thatcher was already seated when Mr. Yew sat down. Immediately, we could feel an electric charge (plus or minus - who knows) between them. Mrs. Thatcher greeted Mr. Yew as Harry, which surprised all of us at the table. He stiffened a bit, but continued on in a cordial way. The rest of the night was filled with tremendous stories of Mr. Yew's years in the Singaporean Resistance to the Japanese occupation and snippets of their interactions over the years. I came away feeling they often did not see eye to eye, but had a great respect for one another. It was a dinner with an Iron Man and and Iron Lady. I feel very lucky to have been there.
14
Wow, why isn't this front-page news??
And why, even in an obit, do Westerners continue with their grudging tone, talking about Singaporean "paternalism" when anyone with a brain can see that the West is ruled by oligarchies, too??
At least the Singaporean oligarchy has as its only goal social advancement and actually works.
Democracy is nothing more than the wolves voting to eat the lambs. Even Jerfferson knew this; he should know, of course, what with all his slaves, and Virginia having a stranglehold on American slavery by forcing through a law then that forbade further importation of slaves....
And why, even in an obit, do Westerners continue with their grudging tone, talking about Singaporean "paternalism" when anyone with a brain can see that the West is ruled by oligarchies, too??
At least the Singaporean oligarchy has as its only goal social advancement and actually works.
Democracy is nothing more than the wolves voting to eat the lambs. Even Jerfferson knew this; he should know, of course, what with all his slaves, and Virginia having a stranglehold on American slavery by forcing through a law then that forbade further importation of slaves....
4
I am not Singaporean but as a Chinese, I and many like me, admire and respect Lee Kuan Yew. He gave us pride by showing that a Chinese could lead and govern just as well, if not better, than white men. We can hold our heads higher now. Lee is of a stature similar to Sun Yat-Sen. And like Sun (Cantonese), he is a southerner (Hakka/Cantonese)!
4
Sorry. Sun was a loose cannon, and did not achieve anything. Some get more than they deserve. He is one. So do Hilary and Jeb.
Excuse me? Sun did not achieve anything? He led the overthrow of the corrupt last Qing empire and inspired the founding of modern China as a republic. That's why there is no controversy about him and he is revered by both China and Taiwan.
Lee used the myth of "Asian Values" to maintain control over Singapore and create a nation driven by the desire for material gain. The Singapore he created is an island without individual liberty, without any artistic or creative voices, without a soul - a a tropical wasteland.
3
Yes we have focussed on economic development, but we had to secure ourselves first. Lee's generation - my grandparents, parents - lived through desperate times - as second class colonial subjects, Japanese occupation during WW2, then left to fend for themselves with no economy, defense forces to begin with just a few decades ago. I understand where their overwhelming desire for stability and prosperity comes from, and the price paid.
I am 30, Singaporean. I am Young Singapore - I feel our cultural soul awakening, shaping, stirring. Today we may not have global art 'giants' but this place is no cultural wasteland. And in adopting Lee Kuan Yew's 'we'll show you' spirit, I say - take a look our way in 10 years, you may have to eat your words!
I am 30, Singaporean. I am Young Singapore - I feel our cultural soul awakening, shaping, stirring. Today we may not have global art 'giants' but this place is no cultural wasteland. And in adopting Lee Kuan Yew's 'we'll show you' spirit, I say - take a look our way in 10 years, you may have to eat your words!
5
Wow. Would love you to qualify the comments you just made.
During the decades that Lee Kwan Yew and his PAP have held power, the life span of Singaporeans has increased by decades and per capita GDP has increased from $400 in 1945 a year to over $40,000. This was not a pursuit of material gain, but a pursuit of a different way of life in which people need not fear every disease and need not go to be hungry every night. And there probably are billions of people who gladly would be Singaporeans.
1
If there is any founding father in any modern country, LKY comes close to it. America had founding fathers, but they were a group of brilliant men. Lee not only founded the country, but ruled it for a long time. His influence is formative, profound, and lasting. It is said that he was compulsively clean, changing his shirts several times a day. This personal habit may contribute to the cleanliness of the city state. Also his ruling style and his views on the world affairs are noticed, if not respected, by leaders all over the world. There is no doubt that he influenced Deng Xiaoping’s reform in China. Deng visited Singapore at the end of 1978, when he rose to power. He abandoned the export of revolution, focused on economic growth, and restored meritocracy.
4
No corruption? Good government? Singapore has one of the highest debt to GDP ratios in the world. Its prosperity is a facade; nearly a third of its residents live in poverty. It's wealth gap is among the largest anywhere. The country's biggest businesses are real estate speculation and gambling, neither known for its virtue or transparency. Lee was for all practical purposes, dictator for life. His kids and hand picked cronies now run the place, with impunity and without opposition or accountability. Civil rights are virtually non existent. He and his family are reportedly worth billions, especially if you include the sovereign wealth funds they control. There is a list of alleged scandals associated with him, his family and his friends as long as your arm. I don't get the adulation. He sounds like a friendlier, capitalist version of North Korea's Kim-Il Sung.
6
Praise for Mr Lee pours in from around the globe, and I have no intention of speaking ill of the dead. But Singapore was fortunate that Mr Lee was a benevolent dictator. While he lived there was no need to worry over the "bad king" dilemma that Singapore's political system still poses today. While Mr Lee championed so called "Asian values", and often posed his city-state as a grand example of these geographic and cultural traits, and as a contrast to Western democracy, it remains to be seen whether his ideas will long outlast him.
1
Singapore is a beautiful, clean, quiet, well run city. It has peae, but what it lack is what we cherish the most - freedom.
As a society we have to make a choice between peace and freedom. Some choose one, some the other. The price of peace is freedom, the price of freedom is peace.
Ask any Singaporean if he would like to live in America, and ask an American if he would prefer to live there. And therein you will have your answer. They made their choice to the admiration of some Americans, we have made ours to the admiration of the globe. To each his own.
As a society we have to make a choice between peace and freedom. Some choose one, some the other. The price of peace is freedom, the price of freedom is peace.
Ask any Singaporean if he would like to live in America, and ask an American if he would prefer to live there. And therein you will have your answer. They made their choice to the admiration of some Americans, we have made ours to the admiration of the globe. To each his own.
3
I would compare Mr. Lee to Chung Mong-Koo, the owner of the Hyundai-Kia Group: Mr. Lee successfully ran a small country like a company. One should not believe that Singapore's wealth and success are solely the results of Mr. Lee or even the Singaporeans. Mr. Lee is an old Cambridge boy and Singapore was chosen for her strategic location by others. Singapore's maxim was defined by the "Five Cs of Singapore" [C]ash, [C]ar, [C]redit card, [C]ondominium and [C]ountry club membership, but what it did not have was Character. Character, a person's unique individuality expressed through controversial thinking, is probably the commodity, which cannot be bought cheaply. In this sense, Mr. Lee and Mr. Mong-Koo are very similar: they have created great products, but just like the brands Hyundai and Kia, it is a car without a soul. We can do better.
3
"5C" actually speaks very clearly about the nations character and that is "It Works"..I'll be happy for you if you can, but not everyone can afford a Mercedes.
In South Korea, we koreans compare Mr. Lee to Park Chung-hee, a former South Korean president. Mr. Park is now criticized by dissents because of his 18-year tenure, but he devoted to the industrialization of South Korea. Mr. Lee and Park chose to be dictators to make more efficient policies. So, both countries they ruled could develop fast.
1
LKY apologists are out in full force. If you want to see the real Singapore go to opposition dominated areas that look like a third world country. When was the last time, anyone saw a Made in Singapore product?
5
Without the critical mass to sustain manufacturing, we still have a higher GDP per capita, better education system, better healthcare, better infrastructure than you lol
Having lived in Singapore during Mr. Lee's rule, I can say that we referred to him as the Benevolent Dictator. He was truly a man for the time in the same manner as Washington or Lincoln. For a country with no natural resources beyond a good harbor and a desirable geographic location, he built a country of some repute. Yes, the people feared him and it is doubtful that America would have tolerated the heavy hand but, I can truly say that the man had the benefit of the people in mind with his decisions. I wish I could say the same for our politicians.
3
Human kind is disparate & controversial. The disenfranchised, the persecuted, self-entitled, self righteous & even mentally unstable. But there is always a silent knowing majority. LKY was a socialist politician who had to succeed at a difficult time in history. Being in the front-lines, hardens you. Knowing as he did that millions of souls depended on him for their survival, he showed true leadership. His methods questionable, but the fruits of his labor bear testimony to his ideals. No man is an island, but he came close. The greater good prevailed in Singapore & for the majority of Singaporeans, this is all that matters. This has been his legacy & that is why there is adulation for this giant, in large segments of the populace. He has transformed the mindsets of the more than 50 generations of people around him. He was the father-figure who profoundly inspired & intimately nurtured their ethos, humanity & lives. He taught us to be courageous under fire, to fight for what we believed in & to face darkness with belief. He taught us to be good humans- to cherish family & civil society, to nurture the weakest among us, to live frugally & unassumingly & to be the best that we can be. I am a proud son of Singapore. He was more than the savior of small Singapore, he was an immense inspiration & succor to countless grateful souls. Through him, we have hope. He was the sturdy lighthouse in a raging storm, he has now become our leading star in the heavens. May he rest in peace.
4
Singapore has an amazing story in it's short history with Mr. Yew at the center of it all. He certainly succeeded in herding the various cultures in the same direction and installing some basic values to move as one. Of course this society is generally a dictatorship run by 1 party. They obviously are business centric and part the governmental seas to make new business initiatives blossom and very friendly to investors from elsewhere. But is Mr Yew and his successors simply Act 1? Can this political model really survive today's world? Mr Yew is not around to answer that but I am certain that he would tell us he built an iron foundation on which Singapore. Everyone can speculate and surmise an educated and rich population will slowly gravitate to a multiparty, free society.
If all 'dictators' were like him, dictatorship would be my favorite form of government.
8
But in most democratic countries, political parties behave like dictators when they are incumbent, and cry for democracy when in opposition..and then both parties make the people believe that this is the best form of governance.
4
Lee was good enough for a small state not larger than one of the metros of India and his authoritarian methods worked. I can't understand how it can be a model. Yes, China would envy its grip on its people and maybe copy Lee's model. But if you want a free country, democratic and liberal, look elsewhere.
2
Lee Kuan Yew has been the most effective and brilliant of the world’s political leaders in modern history.
In 1964, shortly before Singapore’s independence, its GDP (nominal) per capita was only US$464. Singapore was well behind the USA $3,423, Canada $2,530, France $1,885, UK $1,730, Italy $1,223 and Japan $836.
By 2013, Singapore’s GDP (nominal) per capita had grown to US$55,183. This was ahead of the USA $53,042, Canada $51,958, Germany $46,268, France $42,503, UK $41,788, Japan, $38,633, Italy $35,926 and European Union $34,072.
In purchasing power parity terms, Singapore’s 2013 GDP (PPP) per capita was even higher at $78,763, fourth in the world behind Kuwait, Luxembourg, Qatar and Macau.
The World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index 2014 ranked how well 99 countries comply with “the rule of law”. Overall, Singapore was ranked 10th, ahead of No. 11 Canada, No. 12 Japan, No. 13 United Kingdom, No. 18 France, No. 19 USA, No. 24 Spain and No. 29 Italy (the top 9 countries were Germany, Australia, Austria, New Zealand, Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark). More specifically, on the eight dimensions of the Rule of Law index, Singapore was ranked 2nd in criminal justice, 2nd in order and security; 5th in absence of corruption; 6th in civil justice; 8th in regulatory enforcement; 21st in constraints on government powers; 21st in open government; and 26th in fundamental rights, out of the 99 countries. Singapore was ranked ahead of the USA on fundamental rights.
In 1964, shortly before Singapore’s independence, its GDP (nominal) per capita was only US$464. Singapore was well behind the USA $3,423, Canada $2,530, France $1,885, UK $1,730, Italy $1,223 and Japan $836.
By 2013, Singapore’s GDP (nominal) per capita had grown to US$55,183. This was ahead of the USA $53,042, Canada $51,958, Germany $46,268, France $42,503, UK $41,788, Japan, $38,633, Italy $35,926 and European Union $34,072.
In purchasing power parity terms, Singapore’s 2013 GDP (PPP) per capita was even higher at $78,763, fourth in the world behind Kuwait, Luxembourg, Qatar and Macau.
The World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index 2014 ranked how well 99 countries comply with “the rule of law”. Overall, Singapore was ranked 10th, ahead of No. 11 Canada, No. 12 Japan, No. 13 United Kingdom, No. 18 France, No. 19 USA, No. 24 Spain and No. 29 Italy (the top 9 countries were Germany, Australia, Austria, New Zealand, Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark). More specifically, on the eight dimensions of the Rule of Law index, Singapore was ranked 2nd in criminal justice, 2nd in order and security; 5th in absence of corruption; 6th in civil justice; 8th in regulatory enforcement; 21st in constraints on government powers; 21st in open government; and 26th in fundamental rights, out of the 99 countries. Singapore was ranked ahead of the USA on fundamental rights.
6
The simple difference between Lee and his counterparts in most states of the world is that he and his partners did not do a job to become rich but to really serve their country.
Which is why his people loved him and still do.
He understood, like not many others, that it does not do to use an ideological concept and force it over any given situation but to use a pragmatic and in many ways limited approach to handle a given situation in a given environment.
So he decide to run the country like a company with the intent to make it a working and profitable operation owned by its people.
With a government that acts like a board and gets paid based on its success, measured by simple but effective rules.
This has created a working, very rich multi ethnic and cultural society with virtually no corruption and very little criminality.
Little wonder that this approach did not work too well with other governments and ideology driven commentators who rather liked their own approach better.
Still, seen from a local perspective, Lee's approach was just what we needed here.
Thank you for this country Mr. Lee.
Which is why his people loved him and still do.
He understood, like not many others, that it does not do to use an ideological concept and force it over any given situation but to use a pragmatic and in many ways limited approach to handle a given situation in a given environment.
So he decide to run the country like a company with the intent to make it a working and profitable operation owned by its people.
With a government that acts like a board and gets paid based on its success, measured by simple but effective rules.
This has created a working, very rich multi ethnic and cultural society with virtually no corruption and very little criminality.
Little wonder that this approach did not work too well with other governments and ideology driven commentators who rather liked their own approach better.
Still, seen from a local perspective, Lee's approach was just what we needed here.
Thank you for this country Mr. Lee.
6
Mr Lee was one of those rare leaders who was able to bridge the gap between the East and West, and somehow take the best elements from this often fractious dichotomy to shape Singapore’s current landscape of stability and prosperity. No doubt, his Peranakan upbringing gave him genuine insight and acceptance of cross-cultural values – a global perspective that few politicians own so personally, and a singular quality in political leaders of his time. Mr Lee worked tirelessly to build the Republic of Singapore into the success story it is today, and I am grateful for his hard efforts and dedication. Rest in peace, Mr Lee. Sincere condolences to the Lee family.
3
May God bless his soul! R.I.P Mr Lee Kuan Yew . . .
1
For him, the end Will always justify the means. RIP old man.
Contemporary of another leader with similar challenges at the time in Cuba.
One truly great leader in Singapore the other could have been.
One truly great leader in Singapore the other could have been.
1
a truly great man. What were the chances of getting someone like him? In any other hands dictatorships less benevolent.
Lee Kwan Yew was one tough bird, but he had to be in order to turn Singapore from a small polyglot (mostly Chinese) province that was virtually kicked out of its country, the resolutely Islamic Federation of Malaysia, into a prosperous city-state that has become one of the world's great centres of finance, culture and technology.
I remember the events of August 1965 quite well, and Singapore wasn't really 'granted' independence - it was dumped into it. Mr Lee, dealing with an Asian culture that's mainly Chinese but quite multi-ethnic in fact, applied the classic principle of government in that part of the world - the importance of 'harmony', meaning people working peacefully at common cause. It's far from the freewheeling Western style of governance, but it worked in Singapore - to the point where the country's biggest problems are crowding (though plenty of parks and preserved green spaces exist) and high-priced real estate. Even with all the regulations, Singapore is still freer than most of its neighbours, and probably one of the safest places on the planet. Wander at night and you might get a bit lost, but you won't get mugged. The place has full religious freedom, and plenty of Muslims who are prospering and happy to live with no religious police. But don't be so foolish as to litter - the regular police, to put it mildly, don't like that one bit. Then again, you can eat from the food carts - they've all had to pass inspection. Just watch out for the spiciness.
I remember the events of August 1965 quite well, and Singapore wasn't really 'granted' independence - it was dumped into it. Mr Lee, dealing with an Asian culture that's mainly Chinese but quite multi-ethnic in fact, applied the classic principle of government in that part of the world - the importance of 'harmony', meaning people working peacefully at common cause. It's far from the freewheeling Western style of governance, but it worked in Singapore - to the point where the country's biggest problems are crowding (though plenty of parks and preserved green spaces exist) and high-priced real estate. Even with all the regulations, Singapore is still freer than most of its neighbours, and probably one of the safest places on the planet. Wander at night and you might get a bit lost, but you won't get mugged. The place has full religious freedom, and plenty of Muslims who are prospering and happy to live with no religious police. But don't be so foolish as to litter - the regular police, to put it mildly, don't like that one bit. Then again, you can eat from the food carts - they've all had to pass inspection. Just watch out for the spiciness.
4
I am a third generation Singaporean.My late grandmother used to remind me as a child how much Lee Kuan Yew has done for Singapore.She has experienced war, widespread corruption,racial riots, water-rationing,tuberculosis, and working with British colonial masters.My generation has experienced non of those. When a cabinet minister was charged with corruption, we were shocked. Had corruption been a norm in Singapore, we wouldn't be so. His system took care of all of us too perfectly. So, we have the luxury to bicker over where to buy a property, where to eat,where to shop and which is the best school to send our children. Perhaps we are all frogs in the well as a result of Lee Kuan Yew's paternalism. I am grateful for such luxury but I am also aware that we are losing our survival instincts.
As a political leader, he showed the world he could draw men of integrity who were smarter than him and who could do a job better than him, to work for him. He didn't build Singapore ALONE. Be it an oxymoron...but he was an non-egoistic politician.
As an undergraduate, I had witnessed my lecturers suffered the consequences for criticising our judicial and political systems. It had made me wary of speaking out.We are not politically apathetic but we have become mere phantomatic political critics in cyberspace.
Still, with all that lack of human rights and 'freedom', I want to say to him, "Thank You". You gave me a roof over my head,a school to go to, and a metro to take to work.
As a political leader, he showed the world he could draw men of integrity who were smarter than him and who could do a job better than him, to work for him. He didn't build Singapore ALONE. Be it an oxymoron...but he was an non-egoistic politician.
As an undergraduate, I had witnessed my lecturers suffered the consequences for criticising our judicial and political systems. It had made me wary of speaking out.We are not politically apathetic but we have become mere phantomatic political critics in cyberspace.
Still, with all that lack of human rights and 'freedom', I want to say to him, "Thank You". You gave me a roof over my head,a school to go to, and a metro to take to work.
7
Chang Kai-shek, Park Chung-hee, and Lee Kuan Yew were strong leaders in a time when their societies were under existential threats. Their strong tactics were needed to help their countries survive and the alternatives are much, worse. We are fortunate that each of their counties has emerged from those tactics and become more independent.
While China claims to be following Lee's example, it is more obviously following Marxist principcles. China needs to tear down the portrait of Mao.
While China claims to be following Lee's example, it is more obviously following Marxist principcles. China needs to tear down the portrait of Mao.
3
I always thought that a 'Benevolent Dictator' is an oxymoron. LKY has proved me wrong.
The best part of Singapore is feeling safe 24 hours a day...guns are not allowed.
4
"Even among people who knew little of Singapore, Mr. Lee was famous for his national self-improvement campaigns, which urged people to do such things as smile, speak good English and flush the toilet, but never to spit, chew gum or throw garbage off balconies."
more importantly, have a fair and non-corrupt court system to the best of your ability, respect the religion of others, respect the speech and thoughts of others, don't kill people, don't take stuff that is not yours.
spittle and gum on the sidewalk are some of the least of my worries, although good manners and hygiene are definitely welcomed.
more importantly, have a fair and non-corrupt court system to the best of your ability, respect the religion of others, respect the speech and thoughts of others, don't kill people, don't take stuff that is not yours.
spittle and gum on the sidewalk are some of the least of my worries, although good manners and hygiene are definitely welcomed.
I must visit Singapore. But even as an American I value the Japanese as having perhaps the world's leading culture. This country has many practical pleasures for the human being. As in Japan, Mr Lee, despite life's trauma, especially in leadership, is revered because he survived.
Each time I visit Singapore (I was there last week), I cannot help marvel at the new developments, the efficiency that permeates everything. Yet I also feel a strong discomfort. Everything seems (and probably is) scripted. The local press more or less a retelling of government memos or statements. The fault lines below and within the society held in place, for now, but for how long. There is a strong and observable perception that the favored ethnicity is Chinese. The resentment within other minorities spills over even within casual conversations. Yes, toe the line, do your job, keep your opinion to yourselves, and you will do good. A rising tide raises all boats. Yes, that is fine, but is that the community or country I wish to live in? My answer is no overwhelmingly. Lee Kuan Yew created a true economic paradise but not a social one. How long can SIngapore stay the current course before the fault lines shift for good, I do not know.
But every time I leave Singapore I am thankful for the wonderful food, the efficiency of the transport systems, and the safe time I had, but I am even more thankful I am heading to my home, messy as it may be, where I have the right to speak my mind whatever that might be.
But every time I leave Singapore I am thankful for the wonderful food, the efficiency of the transport systems, and the safe time I had, but I am even more thankful I am heading to my home, messy as it may be, where I have the right to speak my mind whatever that might be.
7
If Lee was President of Greece, could he turn that country around? Probably not. Same for many other nations. Lee was great for his country, but the success of Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea has lot to do with the people too.......... Probably would have done great in Germany.
Lee Kuan Yew is someone who, in Ancient Greece, would have been labeled a tyrant - a term that did not carry negative connotations in those days, since both benevolent despots, as well as the not-so-benevolent ones, all carried the label of tyrants.
Mr. Yew did well by Singapore and Singaporeans of all kinds - Chinese, Malay, Tamils and others. While some of his methods were utterly undemocratic, he always acted with the best interests of Singapore at heart.
More importantly, he gave up power once he realized that it was time for a new generation to take over and ensure that he established institutions that have continued to deliver for Singaporeans.
One hopes that they will endure, and that future generations of Singaporeans (beyond just the one that succeeded to power on Mr. Lee's coat-tails and his gene pool) will be able to make the trade-offs he was able to make wisely, and also have the ability to admit when they are wrong and apply the appropriate correctives.
Truly a world statesman. RIP.
Mr. Yew did well by Singapore and Singaporeans of all kinds - Chinese, Malay, Tamils and others. While some of his methods were utterly undemocratic, he always acted with the best interests of Singapore at heart.
More importantly, he gave up power once he realized that it was time for a new generation to take over and ensure that he established institutions that have continued to deliver for Singaporeans.
One hopes that they will endure, and that future generations of Singaporeans (beyond just the one that succeeded to power on Mr. Lee's coat-tails and his gene pool) will be able to make the trade-offs he was able to make wisely, and also have the ability to admit when they are wrong and apply the appropriate correctives.
Truly a world statesman. RIP.
It's not a good thing that President Obama has praised Lee Quan Yu as a "visionary."
Mr. Lee's harmful contribution to global governance in the future is that he built a prosperous city-state whose mostly docile citizens seem to love their economic and governmental servitude. But in that servile state, there is an atmosphere of fear, as this obituary notes.
Also, according to a 2010 article in "The Economist," "The Stingy Nanny," Singaporeans get no government help "unless they hit rock bottom." That article quotes a 2009 remark by Mr. Lee. He reportedly said that if "native Singaporeans lag behind 'hungry' foreigners (immigrants who ask much less economically than native Singaporeans) because 'the spurs are not stuck on [their] hinds,' that is not the state's problem to solve."
But still, Singapore is a indeed welfare state - welfare for politically well-connected, self-aggrandizing "meritocrats," that is.
Roy Ngerng, a bright young Singaporean, wrote last September on his website, http://thehearttruths.com/ that "Poor Singaporeans Have to Work for 272 Years to Earn What the Singapore Prime Minister Earns in One Year" - $2.2 million plus many perks.
Rousseau wrote in "Emile": "There is no subjugation so perfect as that which keeps the appearance of freedom, for in that way, one captures volition itself."
That ominous result - on a grand scale - is what Lee Quan Yew has bequeathed to Singaporeans - and it's also his "visionary" bequest to humankind's future.
Mr. Lee's harmful contribution to global governance in the future is that he built a prosperous city-state whose mostly docile citizens seem to love their economic and governmental servitude. But in that servile state, there is an atmosphere of fear, as this obituary notes.
Also, according to a 2010 article in "The Economist," "The Stingy Nanny," Singaporeans get no government help "unless they hit rock bottom." That article quotes a 2009 remark by Mr. Lee. He reportedly said that if "native Singaporeans lag behind 'hungry' foreigners (immigrants who ask much less economically than native Singaporeans) because 'the spurs are not stuck on [their] hinds,' that is not the state's problem to solve."
But still, Singapore is a indeed welfare state - welfare for politically well-connected, self-aggrandizing "meritocrats," that is.
Roy Ngerng, a bright young Singaporean, wrote last September on his website, http://thehearttruths.com/ that "Poor Singaporeans Have to Work for 272 Years to Earn What the Singapore Prime Minister Earns in One Year" - $2.2 million plus many perks.
Rousseau wrote in "Emile": "There is no subjugation so perfect as that which keeps the appearance of freedom, for in that way, one captures volition itself."
That ominous result - on a grand scale - is what Lee Quan Yew has bequeathed to Singaporeans - and it's also his "visionary" bequest to humankind's future.
As a Singaporean i do not feel this 'atmosphere of fear' but then again some would say it's because we are 'docile' or perhaps you could say we are happy and comfortable with the life we have in our safe, clean country where opportunities to succeed are possible if you work hard. This so called 'atmosphere of fear' is something most Singaporeans may prefer over living every day with the fear of racism, of being mugged, of being raped, being shot by your child with a gun from your own house or your very own handbag, having your kids addicted to drugs or experiencing no justice or corrupt lawmakers, or watching millions of dollars being spent on two political parties who fight and oppose each other for the sake of opposition. It is also unusual for someone from New Jersey to mention Roy Ngerng, someone who is not respected by many for his comments and who disrespects special needs children. http://www.fivestarsandamoon.com/hong-lim-park-protestors-heckle-special.... Comparatively, what is $2.2mio when a CEO of a bank earns 4 times as much as the PM of Singapore whose responsibilities are so much bigger. Many Singaporeans have had the equal opportunity to an education to improve their lives regardless of their family's income. I don't think i can say the same for poor people living in many countries. There will always be haters and naysayers but it would be take someone who is so narrow minded to disregard the great achievements of Lee Kuan Yew.
3
To zhenxu - I heard Mr. Lee speak several times. He was genial, not condescending, and seemed to possess many of the personal qualities commended by the great Asian sages - especially the thinker we in the west call Confucius ( K'ung Fu-tzu ).
Among his many appealing qualities were his ability to admit he had made mistakes - and to recognize that the world was always changing and that Singapore had to change along with it. I realize that he welcomed that change, and that he loved Singapore and its people, and he will certainly be regarded as the father of modern Singapore - even though he was a very stern one.
Singapore is like my country in that both nations will acquiesce in the way we are governed - as long as prosperity and a degree of personal security last.
Early in the 20th century, Hillaire Belloc suggested that the future portended what he called a "Servile State" that could be attained by either a "capitalist road" or a socialist one.
In 1906, Werner Sombart - like Belloc an erratic but sometimes lucid social critic - asked his readers in the title to another short book, "Why is There No Socialism in the United States?"
Part of his answer was that "all the socialist utopias have foundered upon roast beef and apple pie."
Both Singapore and my own country are prosperous, and have well off, powerful self-recruiting political and business elites - not a good example for a world in which there's less and less of the good things in life to go around.
Among his many appealing qualities were his ability to admit he had made mistakes - and to recognize that the world was always changing and that Singapore had to change along with it. I realize that he welcomed that change, and that he loved Singapore and its people, and he will certainly be regarded as the father of modern Singapore - even though he was a very stern one.
Singapore is like my country in that both nations will acquiesce in the way we are governed - as long as prosperity and a degree of personal security last.
Early in the 20th century, Hillaire Belloc suggested that the future portended what he called a "Servile State" that could be attained by either a "capitalist road" or a socialist one.
In 1906, Werner Sombart - like Belloc an erratic but sometimes lucid social critic - asked his readers in the title to another short book, "Why is There No Socialism in the United States?"
Part of his answer was that "all the socialist utopias have foundered upon roast beef and apple pie."
Both Singapore and my own country are prosperous, and have well off, powerful self-recruiting political and business elites - not a good example for a world in which there's less and less of the good things in life to go around.
LKY was a great achiever for Singapore but uncorrupt? He managed to make his son the PM after making another man his seat warmer for 10 years. His son's wife heads Temasek, the quarter trillion dollar investment holding company. Why is he any different than Abdul Aziz Al Saud who also created a swanky country out of nothing. And where if you follow the rules you can lead a good life.
Probably, there is no leader greater than Lee Kuan Yew who has built a relatively corrupt free and wealthy nation.
"Keep the monkey mind from running off in all directions". Good advice for the NYTimes editorial board and most of the NYT commenters!
Singapore without Lee Kuan Yew, a literal rather than a figurative father of his country, would not have succeeded so spectacularly. Children of powerful and uniquely successful fathers often display regression to the mean. They are merely average, in other words. Of real interest will be if Singapore gradually resembles its neighbors in coming years. Or, citizens may be so shaped by their national father so as to avoid the mean, avoid resembling their neighbors, continuing the unique achievement that is Singapore. Which will it be?
1
As A Singaporean, I am very sad by the passing of MM Lee Kuan Yew. He was a great leader, who did what he thought was best for Singapore, in a selfless way that not many can say of their leaders and politicians today. We shall be forever be grateful to him for using his brilliant mind to show us the way to a better standard of living, racial harmony and peaceful co-existence with our neighbours. To PM Lee Hsien Loong & MM Lee Kuan's family, we share in your grief. May he rest in peace and watch over his outstanding little red dot.
9
I envy Singapore for having a great leader likes Mr Lee. Mr Lee transforms Singapore from a third country to a developed nation within 30 years despite its multi-cultural and religious society as Malaysia. Look at Malaysia, Malaysians are still waiting for a statesman likes Mr Lee.
I think not only Singaporeans, I as a Malaysian who hopes for a fairer Malaysia also grieves the death of Mr Lee.
I think not only Singaporeans, I as a Malaysian who hopes for a fairer Malaysia also grieves the death of Mr Lee.
1
Lee Kuan Yew truly was one of the few enlightened rulers in history. And while I often despair and loathe ridiculous side-effects of democracy, such as the notion that every citizen's voice is equally important and the mocking of expertise in the realm of governing. While Mr. Lee was one of the few competent and civically-motivated autocrats leading a state, such a model, over the span of multiple successive leaderships, is statistically worse at managing a whole society than a democracy would be; because for all the incompetent, near-sighted, and uber-religious leaders democratic citizens have voted into office, the aggregate improvement beats out the waiting for an anomaly like Lee Kuan Yew to come and save us.
“If you think you can hurt me more than I can hurt you, try. There is no other way you can govern a Chinese society.” A surprising revelation. What is going on in poorly governed small countries then?
I'm just going to keep a mental note of this obituary and compare it to what the Times has to say for when Fidel passes.
1
I am an Indian who has passed through Singapore many times while flying from India to LA. I am also a news junkie, and read every English newspaper I can lay my hands on. Singapore Airlines distributed ``The Straits Times'' in Singapore for free, and this is the news about ``corruption'' that I read in this newspaper once. That people had to be on a waitlist to buy apartments, and some real estate magnate had seen to it that Lee Kuan Yew got an apartment ahead of everyone! Mind it, he PAID for the apartment !! Coming from India, my reaction was ``And this is corruption - when he paid for the apartment in full ?''
When talking about authoritarianism or corruption in Singapore, please check out the map and see who its neighbors are: China, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, .... S'pore has done very well with Lee. If you are not satisfied with that justification, pl read Sartre's ``Darkness at Noon''. Lee Kuan Yew achieved for Singapore what Stalin could not for Russia, without bumping off thousands.
When talking about authoritarianism or corruption in Singapore, please check out the map and see who its neighbors are: China, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, .... S'pore has done very well with Lee. If you are not satisfied with that justification, pl read Sartre's ``Darkness at Noon''. Lee Kuan Yew achieved for Singapore what Stalin could not for Russia, without bumping off thousands.
2
Although Lee Kuan Yew quit politics in 2011, his legacy has very much been studied by current leaders with a penchant for autocracy around the world. Paul Kagame of Rwanda is one of them. Even China admires Lee's courage in fighting foreign media and defending his policies and political values by taking critics to court. All in the name of national interests!
Netanyahu defends the interests of his voters too, tooth and nail! The only difference is that he has to rely on Congress Republicans for support. Lee Kuan Yew succeeded on his own! He was a true statesman - "unsentimental, incorrupt, forward-looking and pragmatic" etc, and he had done much for his country, despite controversial policies! Indeed Israel should learn from Singapore's success in its multi-ethnic and multi-cultural polices.
Netanyahu defends the interests of his voters too, tooth and nail! The only difference is that he has to rely on Congress Republicans for support. Lee Kuan Yew succeeded on his own! He was a true statesman - "unsentimental, incorrupt, forward-looking and pragmatic" etc, and he had done much for his country, despite controversial policies! Indeed Israel should learn from Singapore's success in its multi-ethnic and multi-cultural polices.
2
Lee might be the single greatest figure in undermining American labor movement.
According to "The Miracle" by Michael Schuman shortly after Singapore's separation from Malaysia he attended a conference in the US filled with executive's from US companies. There he learned to his surprise that US executives would like to build factories off shore. All Lee had to do was minimize the transaction cost for doing so. That he did.
He built modern industrial parks and provided a disciplined English speaking labor force. Lee tried to make Singapore so American like that an exec would forget he's in a foreign country, except in one aspect: the executive was catered pampered and treated like the Masters of the Universe they think themselves to be. An American exec in Singapore would feel he had arrived in Nirvana. The plan was a success.
This began in the mid60s when the population of Singapore was only 2.5 million. Within about a decade or so Singapore had been industrialized and began to move into higher value services in finance and transportation. Meanwhile neighboring countries adopted Lee's plan allowing Singapore to play the role of hub in the region. When Deng asked Lee for advice on how to move China forward quickly Lee recommended his outsourcing plan.
The crucial aspect was Am Execs desire to destroy American labor by going offshore. Something Lee thought unpatriotic (he was trying to raise compatriot's income while they were doing the opposite) but was quick to exploit.
According to "The Miracle" by Michael Schuman shortly after Singapore's separation from Malaysia he attended a conference in the US filled with executive's from US companies. There he learned to his surprise that US executives would like to build factories off shore. All Lee had to do was minimize the transaction cost for doing so. That he did.
He built modern industrial parks and provided a disciplined English speaking labor force. Lee tried to make Singapore so American like that an exec would forget he's in a foreign country, except in one aspect: the executive was catered pampered and treated like the Masters of the Universe they think themselves to be. An American exec in Singapore would feel he had arrived in Nirvana. The plan was a success.
This began in the mid60s when the population of Singapore was only 2.5 million. Within about a decade or so Singapore had been industrialized and began to move into higher value services in finance and transportation. Meanwhile neighboring countries adopted Lee's plan allowing Singapore to play the role of hub in the region. When Deng asked Lee for advice on how to move China forward quickly Lee recommended his outsourcing plan.
The crucial aspect was Am Execs desire to destroy American labor by going offshore. Something Lee thought unpatriotic (he was trying to raise compatriot's income while they were doing the opposite) but was quick to exploit.
16
Blogger Capt. Penny of Silicon Valley mentioned that the "Death To Drug Dealers" notice at Changi Airport in Singapore was off-putting. It was to me also.
Last October, when I arrived at Changi Airport, I filled out and signed the Customs Declaration form. Plainly typed in bold red capital letters was the following:
WARNING
DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS
UNDER SINGAPORE LAW
Prime Minister Lee did not tolerate this plague. There are few, if any, drug dealers in Singapore. Wonder why?
God speed Mr. Lee.
Last October, when I arrived at Changi Airport, I filled out and signed the Customs Declaration form. Plainly typed in bold red capital letters was the following:
WARNING
DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS
UNDER SINGAPORE LAW
Prime Minister Lee did not tolerate this plague. There are few, if any, drug dealers in Singapore. Wonder why?
God speed Mr. Lee.
6
RIP Mr Lee.
Without doubt Singapore's foundation was created by him and his team. His personal traits like a steely determination, his no nonsense approach, intolerance for mistakes or at times mediocrity, his ability to connect with all stations in life, his mesmerizing and inspiring speeches. All made him the consummate politician.
Many has criticized him for his so called soft authoritarianism without understanding the motivating reasons behind that approach. Unlike western countries steeped in histories of a democratic model cast in decades of struggle and still ending with a model that some might argue is still flawed, Singapore had to adapt.
Unlike many countries, Singapore has little to no resources but fortunately being the astute and indefatigable leader , he harnessed what little Singapore had and transformed it so magically successful that it is an envy of many, particularly her closest neighbors.
LKY has his flaws . Being the political giant without equal in Singapore, he often bull dozes his policies through. And even though he is methodical and thorough, mistakes were still made. Luckily there were more successes than failed policies. For those who fault him , remember that there are no perfect leaders. For what Singaporeans are enjoying, peace, progress and prosperity, much of it is accredited to him and his team. But it is his leadership that provided the base, the foundation for economic development.
Without doubt Singapore's foundation was created by him and his team. His personal traits like a steely determination, his no nonsense approach, intolerance for mistakes or at times mediocrity, his ability to connect with all stations in life, his mesmerizing and inspiring speeches. All made him the consummate politician.
Many has criticized him for his so called soft authoritarianism without understanding the motivating reasons behind that approach. Unlike western countries steeped in histories of a democratic model cast in decades of struggle and still ending with a model that some might argue is still flawed, Singapore had to adapt.
Unlike many countries, Singapore has little to no resources but fortunately being the astute and indefatigable leader , he harnessed what little Singapore had and transformed it so magically successful that it is an envy of many, particularly her closest neighbors.
LKY has his flaws . Being the political giant without equal in Singapore, he often bull dozes his policies through. And even though he is methodical and thorough, mistakes were still made. Luckily there were more successes than failed policies. For those who fault him , remember that there are no perfect leaders. For what Singaporeans are enjoying, peace, progress and prosperity, much of it is accredited to him and his team. But it is his leadership that provided the base, the foundation for economic development.
3
"Mr. Lee was a master of “Asian values,” a concept in which the good of society took precedence over the rights of the individual and citizens ceded some autonomy in return for paternalistic rule."
This is something that the West especially the liberal left simply cannot understand, as evidenced by this obituary peppered with thinly veiled accusations of intolerant dictatorship rather than tribute to a truly brilliant statesman who transformed his country from 3rd world to first world status in one generation.
Somewhere along the way, we have become a nation of "Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you." We have lost our ways and our media and the liberal left have a lot to answer for the current dysfunction in Washington DC.
This is something that the West especially the liberal left simply cannot understand, as evidenced by this obituary peppered with thinly veiled accusations of intolerant dictatorship rather than tribute to a truly brilliant statesman who transformed his country from 3rd world to first world status in one generation.
Somewhere along the way, we have become a nation of "Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you." We have lost our ways and our media and the liberal left have a lot to answer for the current dysfunction in Washington DC.
13
There were no "accusations" in this article; this was an honest look at a politician's career. If a piece of factual journalism challenges your worldview, why do cry foul and shoot the messenger? The reporters did their job.
2
You use an obit to criticize the 'liberal left' and accuse them of failing to accept Asian values, wherein the good of society takes precedence over individual rights.
But it is the 'right' that wants to sacrifice the good of society in order to benefit the few.
Look at attempts to block EPA regulations. The EPA wants clean air for all. The right wants coal plants that enrich the owners but harm the masses.
Social Security benefits the larger society. The right wants to end it decimate the program and thereby enrich the few.
The list goes on, indefinitely.
But it is the 'right' that wants to sacrifice the good of society in order to benefit the few.
Look at attempts to block EPA regulations. The EPA wants clean air for all. The right wants coal plants that enrich the owners but harm the masses.
Social Security benefits the larger society. The right wants to end it decimate the program and thereby enrich the few.
The list goes on, indefinitely.
1
A great leader, a poor democrat, a fine dictator, an enlightened monarch...all attributes that can well merge in the same person and produce a reasonable social ethos... Pyramidal governance, or military governance, or modern absolutist regimes, or Napoleonian regimes can well behave for a time, but they eventually enhance corruption and erode freedom...once the wise man at the top is replaced by an unwise man...
4
Not that America should try to emulate the soft authoritarianism of LKY but which nation, America or Singapore, do you think suffers from less corruption?
4
I don't think you can make that comparison. The U.S. is a much much bigger country geographically with 60 times more people. What worked in Singapore would not have worked in the US.
1
This is a case where a charismatic leader who understands the importance of discipline, respect for education and being able to identify talented intelligent people to lead the way forward has resulted in an efficient, wealthy city state with no natural resources. We have a lot to learn from Lee Kuan Yew.
11
Mr. Lee was a truly great statesman, and justly revered by his countryman. The success of Singapore is very much his achievement.
A man of brilliance, a life of accomplishment.
A man of brilliance, a life of accomplishment.
5
A great loss for Singapore and a great loss for the world. Mr. Lee was the world's last benevolent dictator who was completely unselfish and incorruptible.
My favorite quote of Mr. Lee:
“We are ideology-free,” Mr. Lee said in an interview with The New York Times in 2007, stating what had become, in effect, Singapore’s ideology. “Does it work? If it works, let’s try it. If it’s fine, let’s continue it. If it doesn’t work, toss it out, try another one.”
And this is why Singapore works! This is how all countries should be governed. The US has been hampered by impractical ideologies, mostly perpetuated by the liberal left these days, and also by blind adherence to outdated laws such as the 2nd and 14th amendments that are leading us down the abyss.
The world would be a much better place if we have more sagacious, visionary, completely unselfish and incorruptible politicians like Mr. Lee.
My favorite quote of Mr. Lee:
“We are ideology-free,” Mr. Lee said in an interview with The New York Times in 2007, stating what had become, in effect, Singapore’s ideology. “Does it work? If it works, let’s try it. If it’s fine, let’s continue it. If it doesn’t work, toss it out, try another one.”
And this is why Singapore works! This is how all countries should be governed. The US has been hampered by impractical ideologies, mostly perpetuated by the liberal left these days, and also by blind adherence to outdated laws such as the 2nd and 14th amendments that are leading us down the abyss.
The world would be a much better place if we have more sagacious, visionary, completely unselfish and incorruptible politicians like Mr. Lee.
12
Reading through these comments, I can't help but to summarize 95% of them:
"Mr. Lee made the trains run on time."
"Mr. Lee made the trains run on time."
9
He also built the trains. There were none when he got there.
1
He built the tracks, built the trains, gave people jobs in the train company, made the tickets affordable for the people, managed to keep the train company profitable..that must be better than establishing democracy in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libiya where post-democracy, either no trains exist or no people exist to take a ride in one.
2
We spent a year in Singapore about ten years ago...And loved every minute! A beautiful country with flowers, trees, great buildings,friendly people, safe and clean public transportation ,super air port....A tribute to the life and vision of this remarkable man. a great contrast with Malasia..only bridge crossing away. Hope that Singapore can remain fulfilling the dream of this grand statesman!
8
Wish we had someone like him.
3
Be careful what you wish for. Also, is the shine off of Putin already?
2
Think of successful private corporations (and some publicly-traded firms) dominated by by a strongman Chairman/CEO. Though Singapore has been run as a technocratic meritocracy, with a very unable, uncorrupt leadership team, make no mistake that disagreement was simply no allowed. I lived there in the eighties, during which time a single member of the opposition party was elected to parliament. The government then announced that if you lived in a Housing Development Board flat (a great many Singaporeans do) in the area that elected that opposition member, your air conditioning (or whatever you needed) would be fixed, but it would be fixed last. Questioned how this could possibly be fair, a spokesman simply said that this was a Confucian tenant: you take care of those who take care of you. A brilliant man, Lee Kwan Yew also used the courts (read his courts) to absolutely smash any opposition.
5
It is without a doubt that he has led fine men and presided over a phrase of phenomenal economic and societal growth for the past few decades. Credit where it's due, he is also without a doubt one of the finest stateman in modern Asia with insightful candour. As we close a chapter in Singapore's modern history and moving on to the next, Let's not also forget the stalwarts that has assisted him and the compatriots who had contributed during that time to make my home a great place it is today.
5
Singapore is a testament to the fact that highly efficient, inspired, pragmatic, and visionary leadership can yield transformative results. Lee Kuan Yew provided that leadership for Singapore. Unfortunately, this kind of leadership is rare, hard to duplicate, and is certainly not contagious. Just look at Singapore's neighbors. As for Singapore, a new generation of leaders, hopefully, not forget the road travelled to get here.
7
Lee Kuan Yew is the face of evil. The despicable pariah of Asia. Finally, it all comes down to this. With the look of an aged Sumatran Orang Utan and a toothess bully. A look that has "GUILTY" written all over his face! A ruthless dictator that destroyed many innocent lives and still does. Under his dictatorship, he detained (imprisoned), many political opponents for many years without due process or any form of court hearing. Dr Poh Soo Kai was detained without trial for 38 years. Much longer than Nelson Mandela of South Africa. Don't cry for Lee Kuan Yew or "Dirty Harry" as he is derisively called. This man and his family are worth at least US$267 billion. More than the combined wealth of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet combined. How could he not be? Ruthlessly running this tiny teeny island of 230 square miles for the past 50 years. More than enough time to bleed the country bone dry. Most of the money is looted from the working class pension system (i.e.) CPF. More than 40% of Singaporeans live below poverty line. Household debt to GDP is 375%. The highest in the industrialized world.
16
If you lived there, your neighbors spied on you, as to who came to visit you, and reported to the authority for $15. Many professors who questioned his authority rotted in jails or fled the country. The opposition were fed "suitable questions" to ask in parliament, so they did not embarrass him, thus creating a theater per se.
1
High household debt to GDP need not be detrimental.
The power of both decency and strength.. I live on Saipan where corruption is rife and poverty the rule.
We have much to learn from this guy...
We have much to learn from this guy...
5
I had the pleasure of spending a week in Singapore recently and was absolutely floored by the place. Yes, corporal punishment keeps criminality at bay, yes, the freedoms of the press and media are limited, yes it is effectively a one-party system. But to see such a sparkling, modern, innovative city with ethnic and cultural harmony was truly remarkable. The numbers do not lie: Singapore surpasses nearly every other country when it comes to quality of life, health and longevity, effective, honest government and financial livelihood. With the diversity, gleaming infrastructure, incredibly youth-centric population and highly educated populace, it felt at times like I was visiting the future. So all I can say is, while it probably wouldn't work everywhere, whatever Singapore has done, it has done right. I hope the founding principles of Mr. Lee continue on as the country grows and expands in what little space it has left.
12
We could use a guy like him in the US. On my travels through most areas of Singapore, I would see signs and billboards telling people to act responsible. Their laws may be harsh by our standards, but I would gladly take their safety and their work ethic over our situation in the US. A simple law forbidding citizens on government welfare from gambling in casinos makes too much sense to apply it here in the US. They have a lot of good laws that ensure people act responsibly. M
8
Yew helped create a wealthy country by creating a system that creates wealth. It is just a tiny island without resources, without cows and has little water but it is one of the wealthiest places on earth. Singapore is proof that it is the system, not the resources that make for success. It is also a reminder that developed countries cannot pour aid into poor countries and expect improvement simply because money was added.
16
A minor thing you should know - his surname is Lee, his name is Kuan Yew.
1
I visited Singapore three times in the 1980s as a U.S. Naval officer, and I was always impressed with the order and prosperity Mr. Yew and his leadership gave the nation. For those who decry his somewhat authoritarian rule, consider this: Mr. Yew led a nation that was forced into independence from Malaysia in 1965. Few gave his new country, bereft of natural resources and industry, any chance of survival. Within 20 years he had made Singapore into an economic giant. If press and speech freedoms were curtailed to ensure an orderly society on a small island, so be it. Better curtailment than chaos.
12
As a Singaporean, I admired Mr. Lee Kuan Yew beyond words, and will always be deeply indebted to Mr. Lee for all that he has done and sacrificed for my country. Mr. Lee will always be in my heart. Liang Yap
6
Indeed the criticisms would gain currency if they were not vigorously disputed. The lawsuit the late Mr Lee put against the opposition voices would only diminish his reputation in the eye of the people who fight for their own gain, their own reputation and their own view instead of the overall goodness of the Singapore's peoples and the society.
2
Lee Kuan Yew is synonymous of Singapore's extraordinary rise to an economic powerhouse. Along with South Korea, it was the only economy to break the barriers of underdevelopment and become an advanced city state.
The success of Singapore raises an interesting question about China. Since independence in the 60s, Singapore has been ruled under one family/party system similar to mainland China. If Lee Kuan Yew could do it, why not Xi Jinping in Beijing?
The success of Singapore raises an interesting question about China. Since independence in the 60s, Singapore has been ruled under one family/party system similar to mainland China. If Lee Kuan Yew could do it, why not Xi Jinping in Beijing?
1
"If Lee Kuan Yew could do it, why not Xi Jinping in Beijing? "
Because Singapore is a country of 5M while China is a country of 1.3B.
Because Singapore is a country of 5M while China is a country of 1.3B.
2
If only more people told themselves, "Well, life is just like that," instead of relying on superstitious mumbo-jumbo and making the rest of the world miserable.
1
We spent a year in Singapore about 10 years ago....and loved every minute there. Beautiful flowers, trees, gardens everywhere, lovely new buildings. safe everywhere day or night.Delightful people, modeling their lives after their grand prime minister whose vision colored every aspect of the country. Hope its future can mirror its past.
6
Uncorrupted, forward looking and a disciplined man, Mr Lee brought Singapore up from a tiny island to the current financial hub. From the bottom of my heart, I am grateful for all the things Mr Lee did for Singapore.
6
Not only Singapore, but the world in general, has lost one of its illustrious sons of the century.
Lee Kuan Yew may be a controversial figure to some. True, his recipe was not palatable to many. But nobody can question his success story.
From a backwater entre port trading post into one of world's leading economic and financial hub, Singapore owes its success to a great degree to Mr Lee's vision, pragmatism and foresight.
His leadership style, controversial as it may be to the puritanical advocates, was the right prescription for a tiny island state starved of any resources, including human resource. Lee Kuan Yew never hesitated to bring in the much-needed talent from any part of the globe.
He may be a devil in detail to his critics but I am sure history will be more kind and generous to him.
Lee Kuan Yew may be a controversial figure to some. True, his recipe was not palatable to many. But nobody can question his success story.
From a backwater entre port trading post into one of world's leading economic and financial hub, Singapore owes its success to a great degree to Mr Lee's vision, pragmatism and foresight.
His leadership style, controversial as it may be to the puritanical advocates, was the right prescription for a tiny island state starved of any resources, including human resource. Lee Kuan Yew never hesitated to bring in the much-needed talent from any part of the globe.
He may be a devil in detail to his critics but I am sure history will be more kind and generous to him.
10
Does one ever wonder why Mr Lee Kuan Yew always won the libel suits against others, even the foreign press? If one has no validity case, one would sure lose. Another issue is, what did those people who make slanderous statement did or do to Singapore? And to those people fleeing aboard and not even dare to come back to stand for the trials but keep harping on the emotional cords of the peoples n foreign press!
For such consideration, please refrain from jumping on the wagon to diminish the reputation of a great man.
For such consideration, please refrain from jumping on the wagon to diminish the reputation of a great man.
6
Fear? Maybe only to those who criticize Lee. I felt fear walking in certain part of LA or NY, but in Singapore I can go anywhere, anytime without the fear of getting mugged.
8
And upon arrival at Changi, disembark from one's economy seat, go through Customs and Immigration, collect luggage from the baggage carousel and be in a taxi within 25 minutes! Arriving at a US international airport is akin to entering a combative, regressive time warp.
1
Hear hear ! many of his critics underestimate the absolute freedom that we actually have - that of walking our streets without fear. And succeeding on our own merits, not on the colour of our skin.
We have no opposition ? While having dissenting voices is important for check and balances , having mindless opposition for the sake of it will only lead to indecision and stalemates - not a very efficient way to run anything much less a country.
We have no opposition ? While having dissenting voices is important for check and balances , having mindless opposition for the sake of it will only lead to indecision and stalemates - not a very efficient way to run anything much less a country.
LKY is hands down the most remarkable leader of the 20th century. What Singapore has achieved despite so many inherent disadvantages is amazing. It is an obvious model for China and other Asian countries.
7
I used Singapore as a case study on economic growth in my class a few weeks ago. I made the point that part of LKY's peculiar brilliance was that as a British trained lawyer he understood the importance of the rule of law and made it a foundation of Singapore. Most of the Singapore laws (like libel) that outsiders regard as too strict were actually inherited from Britain. He got to the heart of the matter that rule of law was far far more important to growth and prosperity than American style democracy. He was a statesman, of a type the US does not seem to have anymore.
16
To ManhattanWilliam and all those liberals that keep harping about personal freedom, etc etc, in these comments, how much time in your life do you spend with your boss in your workplace? And how much time do you spend in your life with your politician that you have elected?
Do you elect your boss and have full personal freedom at your workplace? Do you not have rules, over which you have little say, and performance goals, over which you can be dismissed summarily for failure to meet them?
Even outside the work place, do you really have the full personal freedom to act and say what you want? Really? Ever tried shouting fire inside a full theater? Ever go around shouting the n word at someone in your cities? Don't even need to mention the restrictions on your behavior at your immigration. The list goes on and on. And you delude yourself by calling it political correctness within your country but use the term censorship outside of it.
The delusion of personal freedom and freedom of speech.
Do you elect your boss and have full personal freedom at your workplace? Do you not have rules, over which you have little say, and performance goals, over which you can be dismissed summarily for failure to meet them?
Even outside the work place, do you really have the full personal freedom to act and say what you want? Really? Ever tried shouting fire inside a full theater? Ever go around shouting the n word at someone in your cities? Don't even need to mention the restrictions on your behavior at your immigration. The list goes on and on. And you delude yourself by calling it political correctness within your country but use the term censorship outside of it.
The delusion of personal freedom and freedom of speech.
9
A great visionary leader who sacrificed his own personal well-being for Singapore and made it the great nation it is today. As an American married to a Singaporean, we both share deep sadness with his passing and wish for strength for Lee Hsien Loong and his family. America should stand proud to be aligned with Singapore and all Lee Kuan Yew stood for. He will be missed.
12
Singapore prospered because it was well-run in the era of Pax Americana. there was a hug amount of growth in shipping, air travel, and technology thank to American innovation and political stability.
2
I'm not sure what your point is. Everyone post 2nd world war lived through the era of Pax Americana. Few have benefitted as much from that as Singapore. One of the reasons why Singapore benefitted more than others is because of Lee Kuan Yew and his team.
It is inspiring to be reminded of the beautiful Singapore model by the death of Mr. Lee. We could use some of the soft style authoritarianism of Singapore right here in New York City where citizens spit indiscriminately, don't [always] clean up after their dogs, discard trash under our beautiful trees, and in general have no respect for their environment. Why, oh why can't we clean up our streets, our beautiful city a bit more rigorously and fine spitting and trashing.
10
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Max Weber, and his discussion of the "charismatic leader" who by the force of his personality twists and distorts social reality around himself, and creates something new.
History's test is not the extent of the immediate changes such an individual can wreak, but the degree to which his vision is retained by those who carry on after his death, creating an "institution" which is the "routinization" of the founder's "charisma".
The institution which is salvaged from the founder's removal can never be a very close copy of the original, because the founder is truly gone, and only his ideosyncracies governed the original system. But to a greater or lesser extent the institution continues the mission. Weber often cited Christ and the church as archetypes of the process. Christ didn't function within a church, and the church was certainly a huge departure from his work, but nothing survives of the original legacy except what the church brings us - distortions and all.
[Apologies to 52% of the population. Weber wrote a long time ago, and didn't consider women as leaders, although he probably should have worked a discussion of Joan of Arc into his theory. You may replace "he" with "she or he" everywhere appropriate above - he would have approved.]
History's test is not the extent of the immediate changes such an individual can wreak, but the degree to which his vision is retained by those who carry on after his death, creating an "institution" which is the "routinization" of the founder's "charisma".
The institution which is salvaged from the founder's removal can never be a very close copy of the original, because the founder is truly gone, and only his ideosyncracies governed the original system. But to a greater or lesser extent the institution continues the mission. Weber often cited Christ and the church as archetypes of the process. Christ didn't function within a church, and the church was certainly a huge departure from his work, but nothing survives of the original legacy except what the church brings us - distortions and all.
[Apologies to 52% of the population. Weber wrote a long time ago, and didn't consider women as leaders, although he probably should have worked a discussion of Joan of Arc into his theory. You may replace "he" with "she or he" everywhere appropriate above - he would have approved.]
The tributes pour in but time will tell if the Singapore Lee Kuan Yew created can endure. The praise is well justified but there is also much to worry about. So much power is in the hands of so few people that abuse is impossible to stop. Who do you go to when something very wrong has happened? If it involves personalities at the highest levels of government, you could not even find a lawyer willing to take you on. Approach members of the political opposition and you will learn that they too do the bidding of the man.
While he lived, the plutocrats (some of whom are criminals) who have gathered in Singapore treated Lee Kuan Yew as the grand old man and the boss of bosses. It is an open question how these people will behave now that he has passed away because they view everyone else in the country as peasants who are beneath them. Will they respect the law or insist on special privileges as the wealthy in most Asian countries do?
On the surface my country gleams and blooms. But beneath the facade there is a deliberate vacuousness which lives to pretend that everything is well. All freemen know that vigilance must be eternal. But in Singapore no one is watching because they are all too busy eating and shopping. Nevertheless, let me raise my hand to Lee Kuan Yew and pay my respect to the founding father of modern Singapore.
While he lived, the plutocrats (some of whom are criminals) who have gathered in Singapore treated Lee Kuan Yew as the grand old man and the boss of bosses. It is an open question how these people will behave now that he has passed away because they view everyone else in the country as peasants who are beneath them. Will they respect the law or insist on special privileges as the wealthy in most Asian countries do?
On the surface my country gleams and blooms. But beneath the facade there is a deliberate vacuousness which lives to pretend that everything is well. All freemen know that vigilance must be eternal. But in Singapore no one is watching because they are all too busy eating and shopping. Nevertheless, let me raise my hand to Lee Kuan Yew and pay my respect to the founding father of modern Singapore.
26
"My grandmother smoked opium. My daughter isn't allowed to
chew gum.", said a Singaporean friend of mine in the early 90's
as we sat in his spacious government flat one evening. By then,
Singaporeans had better housing than the average family
in Tokyo where I was living.
It wasn't clear that my friend approved of every campaign the government promoted.
As many have pointed out, there was little political opposition. There was no corruption either. No bribes required to open a store. No favors for politicians. And as my friend pointed out, no opium.
A great man has left the stage.
chew gum.", said a Singaporean friend of mine in the early 90's
as we sat in his spacious government flat one evening. By then,
Singaporeans had better housing than the average family
in Tokyo where I was living.
It wasn't clear that my friend approved of every campaign the government promoted.
As many have pointed out, there was little political opposition. There was no corruption either. No bribes required to open a store. No favors for politicians. And as my friend pointed out, no opium.
A great man has left the stage.
13
Last October, while visiting Southeast Asia, I spent a few days in beautiful Singapore. My first impression was that I had gone through a time warp and was now in the 22nd Century. Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was responsible for the remarkable economic transition that has taken place in this city-state over the past 50 years. Government leaders from around the world should visit Singapore to learn how Prime Minister Lee accomplished this extraordinary feat.
9
I've previously lived in Singapore for 10 years, and have frequently been critical of the lack of political freedoms in the country. However, even I have to say that this article is sadly biased and lopsided in its review and reporting of Lee Kuan Yew's life.
This is a man who single handedly led Singapore from an anxious micro-state, into one of the most successful countries in all of Asia. The article goes to great lengths to portray him as a man to be feared, but neglects to mention one jaw dropping fact: Despite 50 years of being in power and holding completely free and open elections, Lee Kuan Yew's party never once lost the popular vote, and has always been immensely loved by the people who never wavered in their support of him.
The article briefly mentions the immense success that Lee Kuan Yew had achieved in developing Singapore into the country that it is today. But compared to the in-depth-analysis of his political fights, these have merely been skimmed over. We place a great deal of emphasis on political rights, which are indeed important. But so too, are economic, educational & healthcare rights. Lee Kuan Yew might have denied Singaporeans some measure of political rights, but he certainly made up for it in every other measure.
To deny him the full extent of these accomplishments on the day of his death, and focus obsessively on his political dogfights, is saddeningly myopic and sanctimonious for an international newspaper like the NYT.
www.outlookzen.com
This is a man who single handedly led Singapore from an anxious micro-state, into one of the most successful countries in all of Asia. The article goes to great lengths to portray him as a man to be feared, but neglects to mention one jaw dropping fact: Despite 50 years of being in power and holding completely free and open elections, Lee Kuan Yew's party never once lost the popular vote, and has always been immensely loved by the people who never wavered in their support of him.
The article briefly mentions the immense success that Lee Kuan Yew had achieved in developing Singapore into the country that it is today. But compared to the in-depth-analysis of his political fights, these have merely been skimmed over. We place a great deal of emphasis on political rights, which are indeed important. But so too, are economic, educational & healthcare rights. Lee Kuan Yew might have denied Singaporeans some measure of political rights, but he certainly made up for it in every other measure.
To deny him the full extent of these accomplishments on the day of his death, and focus obsessively on his political dogfights, is saddeningly myopic and sanctimonious for an international newspaper like the NYT.
www.outlookzen.com
64
I've visited Singapore and admire the country. I've read some of Me Lee's writings and admire hm greatly. Singapore and the rest of the world has lost a truly great man. May he rest in peace and may what he created last forever.
6
To bring up Africa here ("If they had three Lee Kuan Yews in Africa, that continent wouldn’t be in such a bad state.”) to illustrate his strength and management abilities makes no sense at all. Asians (Chinese and Malaysians) and Indians are just more capable than Africans with a more global perspective. Lee Kuan Yew was successful because he dealt with capable followers.
8
Are you kidding? Are you not aware of Chinese and Indian selfishness and the huge corruption in their respective countries?
NO. It was not the peoples of Singapore that enabled LKY to be successful. It was his leadership that enabled them to work together.
Some of the countries of Africa now have the fastest growing GDP's in the world. That belies your opinion.
Some of the countries of Africa now have the fastest growing GDP's in the world. That belies your opinion.
To put in a bit of perspective, 50 years ago, Singapore was an island nation no bigger than 30 miles by 40 miles with zero natural resources except for a good port location, surrounded by predominantly Islamic nations, populated by Chinese, Malay, Indians whose racial relations then weren't exactly kumbaya. And there's always the threat of Maoist communism taking hold. Singapore could easily have been another basket-case nation in Africa or the Mid-East today. It could well have been just an inconsequential piece of rock today. But Lee through sheer willpower & determination, turned Singapore into an important modern economic powerhouse. Yes he didn't do it by embracing western democratic ideals. But democracy needs stability, a strong middle class & an educated population to succeed. What Lee has done is laying the foundation for democracy to flourish in a post-Lee Singapore.
16
Even 50 years ago, Singapore was richer than its neighbors. It has a natural harbor, which is a tremendous natural resource. This is why empires such as UK and Japan fought over it. To this day, seafaring commerce is the lifeblood of Singapore.
2
With its references to the Five C's and to government match-making, this obituary has a very dated feel. That's not today's Singapore, not by a long stretch. Give a bit of credit to those Singaporean who are not cadre members of the PAP, please. And no mention of Goh Keng Swee or of Professor Winsemius or of the terms of the referendum on merger into Malaysia or of LKY's betrayal of the unionists whom he once represented in court or of the trivial obviousness of his proclamations on international affairs or of the the shallowness of his "Asian values"? Maybe the British press or The Economist will print a serious obituary and not a puff-piece like this one.
12
Perhaps more than a few politicians with dictatorial powers had transcendent moments when they felt that they could use their powers for good, but few of them had the intellect, inventiveness, nobility, devotion and determination of Lee Kuan Yew to carry it through. Deng Xioping had some of Lee’s traits but failed to devise an effective anti-corruption system in conjunction of economic opening and had his name further tarnished by violently suppressing political opposition in 1989. Xi Jinping is trying again to emulate Singapore on a much larger scale, and the world will have to wait to see whether he can overcome the daunting challenges.
3
Benevolent dictatorship has its merits, the problem is that you can never be sure that the next person in the chair will be quite so benevolent. Lee may not have been a dictator, per se, but with total control of the legislature, curbs on the press and free speech, and a vise grip on the bureaucracy, it's as close as you can get without actually using the word.
10
I lived in Singapore two different times in the '90's. I mourn the loss of this man ---- a true statesman. I learned that democracy is not "all or none". It's a continuum. Singapore was not in the same place on that continuum as the U.S. when I lived there but in many ways I was glad they were not. If you haven't lived there your opinion counts for nothing in my book. The world has lost a great leader.
39
I am not a supporter of the current government but I still admire him to a certain extent. He has the respect of the majority of Singaporeans. It is a tough job when it comes to building a nation.
True that there during his rule it was soft authoritarian and involved some rather unsettling business dealing with opposition and criticism. especially with racial & religious topics and recently gay rights, all the questions people propose here are not easy to deal with it is always a grey area and there is not answer to those questions. The things he had to deal with, he don't shy away when talking about all those topics. That was the great thing about him.
That was his time, and now it is our time.
My country mourns now its up to us the other Singaporeans to join hands and help lead the way to a more liberal free nation void of corruption and nepotism.
We are young, we are adaptable and we will survive.
Majulah Singapura! (Onward Singapore)
True that there during his rule it was soft authoritarian and involved some rather unsettling business dealing with opposition and criticism. especially with racial & religious topics and recently gay rights, all the questions people propose here are not easy to deal with it is always a grey area and there is not answer to those questions. The things he had to deal with, he don't shy away when talking about all those topics. That was the great thing about him.
That was his time, and now it is our time.
My country mourns now its up to us the other Singaporeans to join hands and help lead the way to a more liberal free nation void of corruption and nepotism.
We are young, we are adaptable and we will survive.
Majulah Singapura! (Onward Singapore)
45
As a Singaporean born in 1959 in Singapore, I can say that without Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore would not be what it is today. Having lived through and experienced first hand, the manifestations of Mr. Lee's far sighted policies (including in no particular order, meritocracy, compulsory National Service for all Singapore male youths, zero tolerance for corruption, racial integration at grass roots level, affordable home ownership through the Housing Development Board, copious investment in hard and soft infrastructure and a rigorous education system, the use of English as the working language and all the civic campaigns and community slogans (like No Littering, Save Water, No Spitting, throughout the decades, I can also honestly say what Mr. Lee espoused, he practiced and how he went about it were not only effective but necessary. Mr. Lee may have been "feared" by some and regarded as an authoritarian figure but for me, born in the year that Mr. Lee became Singapore's first Prime Minister, the before and after pictures are compelling (and indisputable) testaments to Mr. Lee's monumental achievements. He was in my humble opinion, a great visionary and a formidable leader who was not afraid to say what he thought nor to do what he thought necessary to build Singapore. I salute you, Mr. Lee. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you have done for Singapore and Singaporeans.
134
Quek- Great Post.
You are the only person who mentioned what was probably one of the most important factors of all: "use of English as the working language".
Gone, should be the days when people are encouraged to learn multiple languages, and the primary goal should be that everyone on the planet should speak one, single, common language.
It just so happens that the language I speak, English, is the dominant world-wide language. It matters very little, which specific language, is 'Best" or whatever, it only matters which language is most farthest along towards universality.
Almost all the 'elites' of the entire world speak passable English, and almost all people everywhere, who are on-the-make are learning it as well.
Additionally, average people have also been learning English for 50+ years via the medium of popular music, Elvis, The Beatles, Abba & etc.
You are the only person who mentioned what was probably one of the most important factors of all: "use of English as the working language".
Gone, should be the days when people are encouraged to learn multiple languages, and the primary goal should be that everyone on the planet should speak one, single, common language.
It just so happens that the language I speak, English, is the dominant world-wide language. It matters very little, which specific language, is 'Best" or whatever, it only matters which language is most farthest along towards universality.
Almost all the 'elites' of the entire world speak passable English, and almost all people everywhere, who are on-the-make are learning it as well.
Additionally, average people have also been learning English for 50+ years via the medium of popular music, Elvis, The Beatles, Abba & etc.
2
Deng opened the door of China in 1978 that the ideal was greatly inspired by Lee. Lee's philosophy of a clean, efficient and pragmatic system has proved to be right for Singapore for the past half century with an unthinkable living-standard surging. He deserved to be remembered.
13
I am no fan of Lee Kuan Yew, but as someone who grew up in this country and has two homes in this region -- one in Singapore, one in Indonesia, I can't help but begrudgingly respect the man. I can't help but feel extremely privileged to live here in Singapore, in contrast to Indonesia. After all, how could those of us in Singapore have benefitted as much if not from his iron fist?
And now that he's gone, I can't help but feel a sense of dread and uncertainty for the time to come.
RIP Mr Lee. RIP to an era.
And now that he's gone, I can't help but feel a sense of dread and uncertainty for the time to come.
RIP Mr Lee. RIP to an era.
5
Lee was a benevolent authoritarian, and he needed to be in a dangerous corner of the world. He was a top five leader of the post-war world who did the impossible and showed that one person can make a huge difference.
5
If ever there was an oxymoron I'd say "benevolent authoritarian" would be it. There IS nothing "benevolent" about being "authoritarian", thank you very much.
8
Why not? One can be authoritarian and benevolent at the same time - millions of fathers around the world are testament to that.
1
I'm fascinated by all the accolades. I visited Singapore during his reign in office and honesty can anyone say he was little more than a dictatorial manager of a city-state where the concept of freedom and democracy are entirely non-existent? Sorry folks but I'll take a little bit of dirt on my streets if that's the price to pay for freedoms that, in Singapore, are not even dreamed of.
4
If the price is a third world country colonized by a more powerful neighbor in the region, with a poor standard of living and perhaps nothing but menial, low-paid jobs, what then would you say?
3
Perplexed as well. I have been to Singapore, several times, during his reign and couldn't get out of there quick enough, every time. It felt soulless, unfriendly and dangerously repressive. When the subway stations are more sterile than a gleaming bank, it's obvious that no one is allowed to slip up, and the many signs will remind you of the penalty if you do. As for a little dirt, some of the best food experiences of my life, involved restaurants with a dirt floor.
8
What "freedoms" are we ignorant Singaporeans missing, pray tell?
The freedom to have a world class education?
The freedom to roam the streets at any time if the day without fear for our safety?
The freedom of world class medical facilities ?
The freedom to buy and own our own subsidized Homes?
The freedom to excel at our own merits without relying on the colour of our skins?
The freedom of a corruption free government ?
The freedom of an infrastructure that works like no other country on earth save Japan?
The freedom to choose our government?
You can keep your patronizing imagined "freedoms" mr Manhattan. I think I can confidently say we are happy with ours.
The freedom to have a world class education?
The freedom to roam the streets at any time if the day without fear for our safety?
The freedom of world class medical facilities ?
The freedom to buy and own our own subsidized Homes?
The freedom to excel at our own merits without relying on the colour of our skins?
The freedom of a corruption free government ?
The freedom of an infrastructure that works like no other country on earth save Japan?
The freedom to choose our government?
You can keep your patronizing imagined "freedoms" mr Manhattan. I think I can confidently say we are happy with ours.
2
Mr. Lee was most certainly Singapore's leader and the country's tremendous success reflects this, We should not, forget, however, that he did not do it all by himself. With much more regional competition in the economic sphere, the country is moving on as it must. The test will be whether the now more or less five million residents can keep up past good work whilst adjusting to changing demands of the more knowledge-based economy, liberalizing in a way that preserves their accomplishments to date and moving on to new heights.
1
What's not to like about Singapore? Nothing really! Westerners will gripe about a little lack of personal freedom. Who cares about a small trade-off - I would take the Five Cs any day. Singapore simply stands out.(personal experience) Very courteous if not friendly the Singaporeans were a class apart. In their primly accented precise English you could get directions or answers about everything Singapore. The bureaucrats were efficient without looking for a fast buck. And the streets!! God! you could walk on their flower-lined side-walks bare-feet. The few kids that I met were friendly, looked very happy, innocent, contented and very respectful . And they were smart to boot. All the Western media stats showing how Singaporean kids beat the kids in the rest of the world in Math, Science but at enormous cost to their lost childhood seemed like a figment of the imagination. Singapore is an Eastern shining success. The West will always find some negative and frown when there is a stellar success other than them. No ideology but the civic ideology which was Mr. Lee's brainchild is a simple efficient tool put to good use. Agreed, it is soft authoritarian with little or no political process. But who needs a loud, partisan,raucous,inept,corrupt political process resulting in Govenment Shutdowns? I would'nt mind a little loss of personal freedom when my Government takes care of me and my kids and all my neighbors. I pay my humble respects to Mr.Lee, a true, great Leader.
60
"....Westerners will gripe about a little lack of personal freedom..." A "little lack"? Considering that there are NO TRUE FREEDOMS I'd say that's quite a trade-off indeed. This man was Prime Minister until 1999 and remained in the cabinet until 2011. Who's the PM today? His SON. Good place for profits and clean streets and nice shopping on Orchard Road. I'll take a little bit of grime on my streets, however, as a "trade-off" for the right to live my life according to the principles of democracy, imperfect though they might be, rather than as the subject of a managerial dictator of a city-state.
9
Born and Bred in Singapore, Studies in NUS and Travelled the world. A tribute to LKY. I was revisiting the founding father's interview on Meet The Press in 1984 where tt reminded me of the tenacity and grit of our small island's journey and how much control we can exercise on our own destiny. When a journalist attempted to quote him out of context, MM Lee exclaimed, "May I say myself in my own form of words, I think Americans have a friendly habit of helping a person think for himself but I'd rather do my own composition if I may". When asked a question by another US journalist, "As a Chinese, do you think China will pose a threat to Southeast Asia", he explained with fevour, "First of all, I can't speak as a Chinese. I am a Singaporean of a chinese ethnic stock." When asked about his views on demonstrations in Singapore, he explained, "The young must be more idealistic, the young must believe that the world must be more just and there must be more moral retitude in the behaviour of their leaders ... but at the end of the day, decisions have to be made by adults not teenagers, but it is got to be made in such a way that when the teenagers become adults and they look back on these decisions they can be proud of the generation that went before them". This is a glimpse into MM Lee's less populistic and paternalistic rhetoric but looking deeper, I don't think being a teenager or an adult is defined by your age.
15
So ends a remarkable era, and its chief architect, Lee Kuan Yew. My hope for Singapore now is it embarks on a new era becoming a vigorous Un-Hong Kong. . .free speech, open democratic government and fewer resttictions on individual liberties.
The ungortunate crippling dysfunction and glaring hypocrisy of the so-called western democracy will still be Asia's best hope for countering China's "soft-touch" expansion of central rule.
After all, Lee Kuan Yew and Dingaporeans have demonstrated nothing succeeds like success.
The ungortunate crippling dysfunction and glaring hypocrisy of the so-called western democracy will still be Asia's best hope for countering China's "soft-touch" expansion of central rule.
After all, Lee Kuan Yew and Dingaporeans have demonstrated nothing succeeds like success.
1
Mr. Lee managed to accomplish something that will be remarkable for centuries to come. The amazing cultural and relgious diversity of this small nation was matched by what appeared to be mutual respect for that diversity.
Singapore may appear to be a technocrat's pragmatic fantasy, often enacted with the behavior of an unyielding tyrant, yet it is one that benefits every one of its citizens in ways Americans could appreciate. People were cautious about voicing criticism in public when I was there, yet felt free to speak openly in private.
Take a moment to contrast and compare Mr. Lee with our current members of congress and likely presidential candidates. He was not a man who would deny reality in exchange for money. Few would say his policies did not create far more successes than failures for the greatest good.
Twenty-five years ago I had been unexpectedly sent to Singapore for a business negotiation. Arriving at the airport to a large banner proclaiming "death to drug dealers" was off-putting. After talking with people in small food stalls, manual laborers in remote warehouses and bureaucrats I left with great admiration for what Mr. Lee had accomplished.
I've worked and traveled in China, Japan, Taiwan as well as worked with many Asian businesses in the US.
Singapore may appear to be a technocrat's pragmatic fantasy, often enacted with the behavior of an unyielding tyrant, yet it is one that benefits every one of its citizens in ways Americans could appreciate. People were cautious about voicing criticism in public when I was there, yet felt free to speak openly in private.
Take a moment to contrast and compare Mr. Lee with our current members of congress and likely presidential candidates. He was not a man who would deny reality in exchange for money. Few would say his policies did not create far more successes than failures for the greatest good.
Twenty-five years ago I had been unexpectedly sent to Singapore for a business negotiation. Arriving at the airport to a large banner proclaiming "death to drug dealers" was off-putting. After talking with people in small food stalls, manual laborers in remote warehouses and bureaucrats I left with great admiration for what Mr. Lee had accomplished.
I've worked and traveled in China, Japan, Taiwan as well as worked with many Asian businesses in the US.
28
A true philosopher king, in the mold of Plato's Republic. The world has lost a truly great leader and humanitarian. God bless this man.
27
Singapore is a conundrum for Westerners who believe in an open democracy with strong protections of civil liberties and political opposition. Singapore, at times, seems to be proof that a more heavy-handed, tightly-controlled system might be a better course. But I don't think I will be jumping on the Singapore bandwagon just yet.
A political system with limited free speech, limited press freedoms, and heavily dominated by a single political party lacks self-correcting mechanisms if things go wrong. As the article shows, Lee Kuan Yew had nearly shaped the entirety of Singapore's history through his force of personality. He had managed to steer a careful course of using the government's powers for the general good.Yet, would his successors be as restrained? What if they were not? Does Singapore's system have enough built-in mechanisms to get rid of corrupt, inept, or abusive leaders?
I think it's also easier to praise the wisdom of Lee Kuan Yew's policies from the outside. It's always to speak of sacrificing the good of the individual for the greater good when other people are doing the sacrificing.
A political system with limited free speech, limited press freedoms, and heavily dominated by a single political party lacks self-correcting mechanisms if things go wrong. As the article shows, Lee Kuan Yew had nearly shaped the entirety of Singapore's history through his force of personality. He had managed to steer a careful course of using the government's powers for the general good.Yet, would his successors be as restrained? What if they were not? Does Singapore's system have enough built-in mechanisms to get rid of corrupt, inept, or abusive leaders?
I think it's also easier to praise the wisdom of Lee Kuan Yew's policies from the outside. It's always to speak of sacrificing the good of the individual for the greater good when other people are doing the sacrificing.
52
"It's always to speak of sacrificing the good of the individual for the greater good when other people are doing the sacrificing."
For example, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
For example, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
2
Singapore, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan went through very similar 30-40 year transition periods of one party rule after WWII before a large enough westernized middle class demanded full liberty. Having a similar Confucian culture (i.e. the good of the society trumps individual rights), China is following the same footsteps. Judging from citizen's standard of living, it is a better path than the latin-america type of democracy. Would you put your money on Singapore future or Brazil/Argentina's?
2
There are few who had his success because all the dictators for whom it did not work out disappeared after inflicting great harm. Singapore was lucky that he was able to put together a string of successful choices - it could quite easily have ended up differently.
In our case, on the other hand, we pile bad decision on top of bad decision, knowingly, and expect some kind of wonderful outcome.
In our case, on the other hand, we pile bad decision on top of bad decision, knowingly, and expect some kind of wonderful outcome.
3
Mr Lee lived long and governed Singapore for a long time. There is no doubt he transformed Singapore substantially for the better and he left Singapore to a very livable and prospering nation. Having been to Singapore twice, I think I can call it a safe, exotic and exciting tourist destination. His ruthless efficiency meant that Singapore was sometimes merciless and free of compassion for fellow human beings who received brutal punishment without consideration for age or mental condition. Nevertheless he was certainly an admirable personality and will b e remembered fondly by those who benefited from his leadership and will be remembered as a dictator by those who suffered his tyranny. RIP Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.
8
The reason the Singapore model works, is because Singapore is small in size and population. You can't adapt it to bigger countries as you will need many more layers of government- federal, state, county, city. In those layers people have aspirations, egos and what not. If you try to apply the Singapore model to a larger country you end up with corruption from people that can't move up, or a murderous regime trying to control large swaths of the population, or both, as in most cases.
15
True, but the comparison could be to similar small places with small populations. Offhand I can't think of another place like it, successful with no natural resources to speak of.
Singapore has the model many nations. Japan's political leaders consciously modeled many of their policies based upon what Lee succeeded in doing, beginning from the 1960's. In China, Deng and many other Communist Party leaders consciously copied what had worked in Singapore. Exclusive of politics, factory managers throughout the Far East and South East copy what has worked in Singapore.
On several trips, Singapore comes across as East Germany with better shopping. And after all, if the shopping is good, who needs democracy?
7
To praise Lee Kuan Yew highly means you are a so praising authoritarian rule and widespread repressive of citizen rights. For those who recommend Lee as a model for others not only are you discouraging democracy and personal freedom but the fact is in the reality of human nature and the experience elsewhere most leaders who will claim him as their model and try to follow in his footsteps will fail to embrace his more enlightened policies and focus on repression and NOT be adamant about eliminating corruption.
Any praise of Lee Kuan Yew for his economic miracle in singapore should be muted at best.
Any praise of Lee Kuan Yew for his economic miracle in singapore should be muted at best.
6
Mr. Lee was a great person to us -- the Indian students who wanted India also to shine and do well, and gain her place in the world. I still remember the news that the CIA tried to pay Mr. Lee $2 millions to toe a particular line; a stupid effort now looking back! Singapore would not have gone any other way, for Mr. Lee was a far-sighted and genuine leader for a newly independent country! In short, Mr. Lee was one of the greatest Asian leaders, and his Singapore today would not be what she is, but for him. Looking back, and looking forward, I am glad that such a person was there to lead Singapore in her initial years!
6
The US capitalist class generally prefers governments that allow unlimited investments by foreign capital, unlimited repatriation of profits, unregulated businesses free from state intervention - except during labor disputes, when it's cheeper for the state to provide armed thugs to break up strikes, rather than foreign capital having to provide private armies to do so - and low to no taxes and low levels of corruption. It's cheaper to pay bribes to a few at the top than to hundreds at lower levels. Politically US capital prefers stability and predictability over the rough and tumble of competition between rival factions of the local ruling class, and most of all over the threat of vibrant political involvement from the lower classes. Singapore provides all these things, so it's understandable that the Times presents such a rosy and sanguine description of it's polity and economic order, with very polite and limited criticism. Contrast it's attitude to the far more democratic but raucous popular politics and economic policies of Venezuela. In Timespeak, Mr. Yew was "efficient, unsentimental, incorrupt, inventive, forward-looking and pragmatic". Mr. Chavez and Mr. Maduro? When you break with Washington, raise the living standards of the majority of the population and increase their political participation you become Hell Spawn.
6
This purported raise in "the living standards of the majority of the population" in Venezuela under Chávez/Maduro contrasts with Venezuela's chronic outages of electricity, food, hospital supplies; its annual inflation rate of 63.4%, the highest in Latin America; and its murder rate, the second-highest in the world. And the notion that Mr. Maduro's Venezuela is "far more democratic" than Mr. Yew's Singapore is a curious one, given Mr. Maduro's propensity for jailing opposition party leaders on trumped-up charges of sedition and coup-plotting.
Venezuela would have fared far better the past 16 years under a competent, incorrupt autocrat like Mr. Yew than it has under the incompetent, corrupt autocrats Mr. Chávez and Mr. Maduro.
Venezuela would have fared far better the past 16 years under a competent, incorrupt autocrat like Mr. Yew than it has under the incompetent, corrupt autocrats Mr. Chávez and Mr. Maduro.
3
I have seen old youtube viedoes of him beging questioned by CNN reprters.
The depth and breadth of knowledge that this man brought alongwith courage under fire was unbeatable.
He may been unique in being one of the few who understood both the Indian and Chinese way of thinking; he knew thus how to steer a small country into being culturally and monetarily richer.
Charlie Munger (the other Berkshire man, the prominent being Buffet) was an admirer and Paul Volcker looked up him to understand what happenned during 2008/2009 debacle.
One needs to have great understanding of the human race (not only geopolitics) to be close to Indians, Chinese and Aussies at the same time. He reshaped what would be one of dynamic economic engines of the world. Or not.
I would have loved to ask him how the world would unfold. A great loss for South Asia, Asia and the World.
The depth and breadth of knowledge that this man brought alongwith courage under fire was unbeatable.
He may been unique in being one of the few who understood both the Indian and Chinese way of thinking; he knew thus how to steer a small country into being culturally and monetarily richer.
Charlie Munger (the other Berkshire man, the prominent being Buffet) was an admirer and Paul Volcker looked up him to understand what happenned during 2008/2009 debacle.
One needs to have great understanding of the human race (not only geopolitics) to be close to Indians, Chinese and Aussies at the same time. He reshaped what would be one of dynamic economic engines of the world. Or not.
I would have loved to ask him how the world would unfold. A great loss for South Asia, Asia and the World.
15
I had the pleasure of living in Singapore in the 1990's and still marvel at what was accomplished there in a generation. It was remarkably safe, clean and when you looked below the surface quite a fascinating social and economic work in progress. Yes it did not value individualism to the degree that the US did but on the other hand it was not trapped by ideology and ideologues as we seem to be now. Look for example at their take on middle class housing (HDB flats) and their compensation of its senior government employees (superior-the government competes in the marketplace for the best talent). Their government existed to solve problems. I will take a moment now and recall the wonderful times I had in S'pore. My sympathies to Mr. Lee's family and to the people of Singapore.
23
When I took a teaching job in Singapore in 1993 I was appalled by the authoritarianism that spilled out from the government to the whole society, and by the unabashed exploitation of the weak and disadvantaged. When I finally returned to the US in 2005, I was again appalled to see how far American politics and soceity had moved toward that Singapore model.
6
I've been to Singapore several times. It is the cleanest, most orderly, and on of the most beautiful places I've ever been. It is an also extremely scary place. Even as a visiting American, I self-censored what I said out loud, and also sensed that just below the surface tension that is alluded to in this piece. Maybe it is worth it to have "relative" freedom, and absolute personal security, but there is a price to pay for that. I'm not judging in any way... when you come from adjacent Malaysia, and you see the modern, orderly, high standard of living, with no overt oppression, maybe that is the model for countries in transition to first world standards (in health, income, education, etc). I admire Singapore a lot, but it would be a mistake to think there was no price to pay for this impressive development and improved quality of life for its residents. That nebulous thing called "freedom" is hard to quantify, but it is definitely limited there, and again, maybe that's ok...
6
Google "Anwar Ibrahim" for a quick study of Malaysian governance and politics.
5
@Don wrote: "....a visiting American....I'm not judging [Singapore] in any way... when you come from adjacent Malaysia, and you see the modern, orderly, high standard of living, with no overt oppression,...."
LOL. You're not exactly making a good case for how informed Americans are.
LOL. You're not exactly making a good case for how informed Americans are.
2
What part of this don't you agree with? That Singapore is much more orderly, clean, modern, than Malaysia? Do you think otherwise?
Many want to replicate his leadership but it cannot be copied - it worked in a unique time period with a population that was subservient in the first place and put economic success as priority. He led to great success but the price is steep. His 'Speak Mandarin' campaign in the 1980s resulted in isolating many other races especially Indians, who lived in the country for generations and left in droves. Years of suppressing freedom have left many unable to express their opinions and always living in a permanent state of fear. Of course, better this way than have freedom and have the country torn by wars.
4
Lee Kuan Yu was an extraordinary leader. It is hard to name a contemporary head of state with (1) a comparable drive to benefit his countrymen; and (2) an almost magical ability to translate that drive into tangible success. Anyone who has actually seen the Singapore he inherited, and the one he ultimately bequeathed knows what a remarkable gift he was to his nation.
36
He was a successful benevolent dictator. Most dictators succumb to temptation and harm their country and their people. Lee did not. That hardly ever happens.
73
Dictators are NEVER 'benevolent".
7
It's hard to believe the Lee was benevolent, but compared to most democratically elected leaders in the past half-century in most countries, he did not treat his opponents that badly. Very few people were killed and very few were jailed for a very long time. Altogether less than a thousand over fifty years, although many lost civil lawsuits to the government.
People were and still are publicly flogged, sometimes on TV, sometimes for minor crimes. If you ever visit there, do NOT chew gum in public. You could end up being the tourist selected to be flogged to inspire everybody else not to chew gum in public.
People were and still are publicly flogged, sometimes on TV, sometimes for minor crimes. If you ever visit there, do NOT chew gum in public. You could end up being the tourist selected to be flogged to inspire everybody else not to chew gum in public.
I do not know why the Western press keeps on emphasizing and harking on Lee Kuan Yew's harsh tendencies to clamp down on the media, when their own media is so awash with extreme nonsense like Fox news on the right, and others on the left. This divided media landscape and the tendency for individuals to seek what they are only inclined to see, have inadvertently divided the polity and politics, which have made government crippled and ineffective.
The fact of the matter is that Singapore is not the US, nor like many Western European countries with their long history and traditions in which they could relate to. Neither is it a very big country. If you squeeze 4 or more ethnicities into an island less than 700 square kilometers, with disparate traditions and religions, the results can be explosive. As seen in Ferguson and other news constantly coming out from the US, integration among races takes a very long time. The integration that has taken place in Singapore is far more advanced than in places like the UK and US.
Another very obvious thing left out. Look at all the other countries since 1960s such as those around South-East Asia like Cambodia, Myanmar, and what has happened in places like Pakistan and India. There are ethnic rivalries that lead to thousands seeking asylum based on religious beliefs, millions killed during partition. In terms of development, corruption is rife in many governments in the developing world.
If you really want to compare, compare everything.
The fact of the matter is that Singapore is not the US, nor like many Western European countries with their long history and traditions in which they could relate to. Neither is it a very big country. If you squeeze 4 or more ethnicities into an island less than 700 square kilometers, with disparate traditions and religions, the results can be explosive. As seen in Ferguson and other news constantly coming out from the US, integration among races takes a very long time. The integration that has taken place in Singapore is far more advanced than in places like the UK and US.
Another very obvious thing left out. Look at all the other countries since 1960s such as those around South-East Asia like Cambodia, Myanmar, and what has happened in places like Pakistan and India. There are ethnic rivalries that lead to thousands seeking asylum based on religious beliefs, millions killed during partition. In terms of development, corruption is rife in many governments in the developing world.
If you really want to compare, compare everything.
100
I agree. There is nothing that can better calm multicultural tendencies than a benevolent dictator.
3
For anyone who has never been to Singapore it may be hard to appreciate his greatness. For those that have been its as obvious as all the best practices he adopted. A leader for leaders, a trainer for trainers. RIP.
http://thinkingaboot.blogspot.ca/2015/03/rip-lee-quan-yew.html
http://thinkingaboot.blogspot.ca/2015/03/rip-lee-quan-yew.html
18
When I first studied Lee Kuan Yew as a naive and young political scientist and Modern History Scholar in my freshman year of college, I was inspired, repulsed and intrigued often at the same time. The IR wonk in me was amazed at his breadth of intimate knowledge of the Asia-Pacific and the Political culture, economy and psyche of China. The Liberal Democrat in me was disgusted by the unabashedly blunt impishness of his PAP government and his neo-eugenicist approach to social policies. For me Lee Kuan Yew was a figure more suited to the anti-hero or villain of a Shakespearean epic then anything else.
What will Singapore do now that the man who midwifed its modernity is dead? I can imagine in the words of the old negro spiritual, the Republic of Singapore will be like a motherless child. The country will go on, but the nation, for better or for worse, will have to redefine itself in the absence of its chief leader. Lee Kuan Yew's virtues of efficiency, excellence and incorruptibility as well as his faults of repression, social engineering and inequality will benefit and haunt the island nation for the rest of its existence.
Whether he will be revered as a Washington, condemned as a Robespierre who never faced the guillotine, or simply forgotten to customs, institutions and history books is something that I cannot answer with certainty. I feel though that much like Nkrumah, Sukarno and Nehru, his ghost will both curse and inspire his nation for years to come.
What will Singapore do now that the man who midwifed its modernity is dead? I can imagine in the words of the old negro spiritual, the Republic of Singapore will be like a motherless child. The country will go on, but the nation, for better or for worse, will have to redefine itself in the absence of its chief leader. Lee Kuan Yew's virtues of efficiency, excellence and incorruptibility as well as his faults of repression, social engineering and inequality will benefit and haunt the island nation for the rest of its existence.
Whether he will be revered as a Washington, condemned as a Robespierre who never faced the guillotine, or simply forgotten to customs, institutions and history books is something that I cannot answer with certainty. I feel though that much like Nkrumah, Sukarno and Nehru, his ghost will both curse and inspire his nation for years to come.
55
Inequality? You are joking! Aside from studying ideology, have you visit and compare the public housing environment of Singapore and the U.S.? I am pragmatic. If Singapore is cursed, then many people in Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and probably some in the U.S. would like their countries to be cursed too. Freedom of speech is violated, but please do not exaggerate. As one who is tired of the smearing and fear-mongering in free-for-all democratic politics, I can see why he was so heavy handed.
1
I have no particular knowledge of Singapore other than what I obtain from general reading, but my impression is much like yours. However, I write not to agree but, rather, to say that your comment is one of the best and most thoughtfully written that I have seen in a long time. It is especially refreshing to see one write with depth, breadth, and perspective.
3
Generally speaking, if you look at nations around the world, how they are doing, especially the post colonialism states, how they fair seems to correspond to quality of their first (and sometimes second) generation of leadership. I give you no finer example than the United States which was fortunate enough to have a great generation, and a great man in Washington, at the helm.
In thousands of ways we are all a reflection of Washington. We were quite lucky. Imagine if our first generation was the crew we have now in Washington.
Singapore will no longer have Lee, but neither does Singapore need him.. It's future leaders will follow much of his example. On the other hand hopefully he won't turn into a cult of personality after he's dead, as Kim Il Sung and Ronald Reagan (for Republicans) have become.
In thousands of ways we are all a reflection of Washington. We were quite lucky. Imagine if our first generation was the crew we have now in Washington.
Singapore will no longer have Lee, but neither does Singapore need him.. It's future leaders will follow much of his example. On the other hand hopefully he won't turn into a cult of personality after he's dead, as Kim Il Sung and Ronald Reagan (for Republicans) have become.
1
Incorruptible. Intelligent. Dedicated. Selfless. Capable. Honest. Hard working. Innovative. Independent. Able.
Anyone else come to mind who's a candidate for an equally distinguished epitaph? Thought so.
Anyone else come to mind who's a candidate for an equally distinguished epitaph? Thought so.
32
Abraham Lincoln. Theodore Roosevelt. My G-d, it's hard to believe there used to be Republicans like them.
4
I grew up in Singapore and had much disagreement about the way Lee ran Singapore. But I have to give him credit for the achievement Singapore has attained; a nation of just 275 square miles with no natural resource. RIP!
8
I wonder why Lee Kuan Yew's putative utopia has the lowest birth rate in the world.
1
Would the fact that most residents live in high-rise apartments have anything to do with it? How does its birthrate compare with Manhattan's (not New York City's, which has some low-rise and less dense housing in Staten Island and parts of Queens)?
3
The intelligence of its inhabitants?
4
Because rampant breeding is generally a sign of ignorance, poverty, or excessive religiousness.
1
Singapore handles the details brilliantly. For example, though they have maybe the best airport in the world, they're already planning its replacement. Been to JFK or LaGuardia lately? Lee Kuan Yew was always planning Singapore's future, unlike American politicians who couldn't care less what happens once they're out of office.
99
As efficient as LKY was, he (and the the PAP, which was his long arm) was no friend of democracy. As a professor at the National University of Singapore in the 90s, I witnessed several venomous attacks against free speech, including one launched against a colleague who questioned unnamed Asian judicial systems in the International Herald Tribune, resulting in the confiscation of his office computer and a hasty departure from the country. Shortly after I arrived, my immediate superior informed me calmly that my phone would probably be bugged, had it not already been so. I still visit Singapore in transit to more interesting places, but it is without a doubt (as Catherine Lim says in the article), one of the most heartless places in the world. And it reflects (or at least did at that time) LKY from top to bottom. Careful with the eulogizing.
91
All forms of government are to be judged by their results. Democracy is good if it produces good results in the long term. Lots of places, it doesn't.
So much more comforting to be in the U.S. where the phones are not bugged. Oh wait ...
2
and you are not bugged in US? Over there, they have manners and did quite a job in building a country and a people......with great living conditions...
2
Was it necessary to use corporal punishment and canings to achieve Singapore's economic success.
7
Singapore has no graffiti, very little crime and no drunkenness or drug problem. Look around you and I think the answer is YES.
4
There can be strict laws against graffiti etc. and there can be severe sentences involving heavy fines and jail time which would deter those offenses.
But there is no need for the barbaric corporal punishment.
But there is no need for the barbaric corporal punishment.
1
Yes, banning chewing gum and public flogging for littering are too much!
A leader of true vision and determination.
16
Pray God that Australia could be blessed with a leader of vision and the intellectual capacity of Lee Kuan Yew. He made a great and prosperous Nation from a barren land with no resources whatsoever, except the fortitude of his people.
41
Having lived in Singapore for seven years and a Fulbright scholar there, I can attest to Mr. Lee's genius. Singapore is a remarkable and successful nation-state, wealthy, malaria-free and virtually void of governmental corruption. That's not to say its perfect, but his guiding hand was purposeful and well intentioned and his leadership should be admired. His powerful ethos is fairly simple (and seen in most Singaporeans, to a fault): work and study hard, play by the rules, be courteous and dignified, respect authority, and love your family. I think most world citizens would be happy to live by those same rules if only their government was as good as Singapore's.
209
Mostly agreed. Well said.
3
His powerful ethos is fairly simple (and seen in most Singaporeans, to a fault): work and study hard, play by the rules, be courteous and dignified, respect authority, and love your family.
The above is pretty much the ethics of Confucius for the common man. As for LKY, he exemplified the ideal of the Confucius mandarin, serving the state and setting policies that will benefit the community as a whole. The personal life should also be governed by the rules for the common men, and looking from afar, he may have disciplined himself likewise.
His failing, in the eyes of many commentators here is that he did not put too much value on individual freedom and individualism. That is a difference in political philosophy, as some would call it a difference in ideology.
But lets bear in mind that the ascendance of individualism arises in part due to the success of the Europeans in advancing the economic well being of the society. The argument in the west have always been that individualism and competition between individual will result in greater good for all. Societal interest is secondary and will eventually be satisfied should the individual be given a free hand. Here though is a man who delivered prosperity without the underlying philosophy of individualism. Little wonder it seems an affront to the average western reader. But the different approach is the difference between liberals and conservatives anyway. Political repression awaits another discussion.
The above is pretty much the ethics of Confucius for the common man. As for LKY, he exemplified the ideal of the Confucius mandarin, serving the state and setting policies that will benefit the community as a whole. The personal life should also be governed by the rules for the common men, and looking from afar, he may have disciplined himself likewise.
His failing, in the eyes of many commentators here is that he did not put too much value on individual freedom and individualism. That is a difference in political philosophy, as some would call it a difference in ideology.
But lets bear in mind that the ascendance of individualism arises in part due to the success of the Europeans in advancing the economic well being of the society. The argument in the west have always been that individualism and competition between individual will result in greater good for all. Societal interest is secondary and will eventually be satisfied should the individual be given a free hand. Here though is a man who delivered prosperity without the underlying philosophy of individualism. Little wonder it seems an affront to the average western reader. But the different approach is the difference between liberals and conservatives anyway. Political repression awaits another discussion.
1
Maybe not adopt the entire program, but there is much to admire in such success. Contrast Singapore with other city-states- Hong Kong, Monaco, the Vatican- none of them are as productive and as well-run as Singapore. Few countries are run as well. There is something to learn there, and something to emulate.
66
When one comes from cultures and societies that do not have a history of supporting the expression and nurturing of of individual rights or a free press, there isn't/wasn't much feeling of loss when one relinquishes those rights, in favor of safety, security, productivity, and creature comforts. Nevertheless, a price has been paid for giving up those rights, in terms of fear and the ability to express dissent and opposition to the policies of those in power, resulting in an almost fascist submission and adherence to unquestioned conformity.
4
You do not know Hong Kong at all. The only difference with Singapore is that there is freedom of speech/media in Hong Kong - which leads to some form of political debate and dissent. If that is what you mean by it is not "as well run" as Singapore, then so be it. Many people choose HK over Singapore.
Lee Kuan Yew was a visionary who molded a small, provincial city-state into a magnificent, wealth center of finance and business. I will always have respect for him not cowering to Western elites in crafting a harmonious society from a very diverse population. I love Singaporean pragmatism, efficient government, low corrupt and free markets. The U.S. would be wise to follow in the footsteps of Singapore when it comes to funding immaculate infrastructure, effective transit, low tax burden and a friendly business climate.
47
...and not being punitive and hostile to its expats.
Is there a problem somehwere? Then why 40% of its residents are foreigners? Or are you one of those whose application is rejected?
light12345 - Huh? It is the US that is punitive and hostile to its expats, not Singapore. It is yet another lesson that the US could take.
1
Yew was a extraordinary statesman entrepreneur and one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. Aspiring leaders from across the globe would do well to study this man's remarkable life. We lost one of the great ones today.
120
It's Mr Lee by the way, not Mr Yew :-)
One of the things that made Singapore successful is possibly that most of her citizens then were of a migrant stock. Much like America, it was the migrant's desire to make it work, make a life of their own for themselves and their families that drove them hard. There was little interest in politics but just a strong desire to make a living . And it was great fortune that LKY came into the picture to provide political stability, a key ingredient for economic development , that the people of Singapore could coalesced into one united people. Don't forget we are a diaspora of peoples from all over Asia speaking different tongues, with different cultures and with some a desire to make money and return back to their home country. So it was no easy feat for LKY and company to have made Singapore what it is today. LKY remains a political giant unequaled . He will be remembered fondly with great respect and admiration by most Singaporeans.
One of the things that made Singapore successful is possibly that most of her citizens then were of a migrant stock. Much like America, it was the migrant's desire to make it work, make a life of their own for themselves and their families that drove them hard. There was little interest in politics but just a strong desire to make a living . And it was great fortune that LKY came into the picture to provide political stability, a key ingredient for economic development , that the people of Singapore could coalesced into one united people. Don't forget we are a diaspora of peoples from all over Asia speaking different tongues, with different cultures and with some a desire to make money and return back to their home country. So it was no easy feat for LKY and company to have made Singapore what it is today. LKY remains a political giant unequaled . He will be remembered fondly with great respect and admiration by most Singaporeans.
2
If you want to refer to his first name, it should be Kuan Yew and not Yew.
they have allowed Gurkha soldiers and their families to settle down in the United Kingdom upon retirement for a better life, especially for the children. Most of these children are graduating and joining the professional workforce of the United Kingdom.
I was born in Singapore along with my six brothers and sisters. My father loves Singapore and so do we. We mourn the passing of a great man today. My parents also have guts. In 1979, at the airport, as we bade farewell to our school friends and all of us were crying, he promised all his children that, upon returning to Nepal, he would ensure we study at the best schools and if possible, abroad. He had to take out huge loans and my mother had to work long hours in the garden to produce sufficient food but their hard work and investment eventually paid off. Today, I am a high ranking official within the United States government, having graduated with an MBA from a reputable university in New York. My oldest sister is a retired high school principal and my brother works for the Canadian government. My younger sister is a staff nurse in a major hospital in Toronto, Canada while my baby sister is a physician and a professor at the City University of New York, working on her second PhD. We are proud to be citizens of these wonderful nations of the United States and Canada, countries which have welcomed us with open arms even though we were not born here.
I was born in Singapore along with my six brothers and sisters. My father loves Singapore and so do we. We mourn the passing of a great man today. My parents also have guts. In 1979, at the airport, as we bade farewell to our school friends and all of us were crying, he promised all his children that, upon returning to Nepal, he would ensure we study at the best schools and if possible, abroad. He had to take out huge loans and my mother had to work long hours in the garden to produce sufficient food but their hard work and investment eventually paid off. Today, I am a high ranking official within the United States government, having graduated with an MBA from a reputable university in New York. My oldest sister is a retired high school principal and my brother works for the Canadian government. My younger sister is a staff nurse in a major hospital in Toronto, Canada while my baby sister is a physician and a professor at the City University of New York, working on her second PhD. We are proud to be citizens of these wonderful nations of the United States and Canada, countries which have welcomed us with open arms even though we were not born here.
My sister lived in Singapore in the early ‘80s. In a letter home, she mentioned that she and some friends went to see the just-released Sylvester Stallone thriller, “First Blood.” “That Rambo—what a pleasant fellow!” she wrote.
The original film ran 93 minutes. In Singapore, the censored version, about 30 minutes.
The original film ran 93 minutes. In Singapore, the censored version, about 30 minutes.
14
I saw Rambo in Singapore, it's definitely much longer than 30 minutes. Can't just cooked up something.
5
I can't believe this is serious!
Well, things have changed a bit. "Fifty Shades of Grey" was screened uncut.
1
Singapore? The world's "top" super-secret tax haven founded by a Cambridge trained lawyer who ruled like a dictator for 30 years and sued anyone who raises questions of impropriety.
14
"Tax haven" Low tax? yes. Tax evasion venue, no. It has strict Bank Secrecy Laws to protect Customer PII, but it cooperates with all jurisdictions on tax and money laundering investigations. Anyone in banking knows Singapore has an outsize leadership in Anti-Money Laundering. Literally all money authorities in Asia, including HKMA and FSA, leans on MAS for governance over international banks.
2
A great leader worthy of respect and emulation has passed. It is easy to forget how many challenges Singapore had to overcome even to survive as a nation, let alone thrive. One has only to look at most post-colonial nations to see how many things can go wrong. Harmony with such a diverse population in such a situation is even more admirable. Lee's path and the systems he set in place for others to follow may not have been the most democratic, but they certainly are arguably the best for the situation.
60
An incredible world leader.
God Bless him and his family.
God Bless him and his family.
35
God also bless the concept of the benevolent dictatorship and its superiority to parliamentary democracy. Imagine if Singapore had a parliamentary democracy. The minority groups would have killed each other by now.
2
Every African president should look at his legacy and ask this question. Singapore was poorer than Kenya, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Nigeria and Ghana in 1960, what if leaders in the continent had done just half the things Lee Kuan Yew did right? Singapore isn't very democratic, but it is very well run.
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Ah, for homogeneous mindsets. Disneyland, where everyone essentially has the same sense and mode of thinking. Does not work in the real world, regardless the sentimental convenience, providing everyone thinks and feels like 'me'. The continent of Africa rides on tribal sense, regardless the artificial state boundaries we see on an ordinary map. Singapore, an Asian culture, has a totally different mindset.
May God bless Mr Lee and provide solace to his family and countryman during this period of their mourning, and thanks giving for the guiding light he provided them.
May God bless Mr Lee and provide solace to his family and countryman during this period of their mourning, and thanks giving for the guiding light he provided them.
5
Who needs a dumb thing like liberty ? You can't eat it.
5
Singapore also has Malaysians and minority Indians, though Asian, are not like the immigrant Chinese. Compare it with its adjacent larger neighbor on the north of the peninsula, Malaysia, which also has the 3 major groups though with a larger Malaysian population. Malaysia is inefficient, poorly planned and poorly run with the usual level of corruption.
Lee Kuan Yew was one of the few leaders of a country who did not become corrupt with power, who actually promoted policies that benefited the long-term economic survival and well-being of most of its citizens. He was one of those rarities in history, a benevolent despot.
Lee Kuan Yew was one of the few leaders of a country who did not become corrupt with power, who actually promoted policies that benefited the long-term economic survival and well-being of most of its citizens. He was one of those rarities in history, a benevolent despot.
12