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15/05/2007

Singapore, One-Party City State.

Segment 1: Singapore, one-party city state.

A video from New Tang Dynasty Television
Singapore, the smallest nation in Southeast Asia, has an international reputation for being one of the most business-friendly countries. In terms of GDP per capita, Singapore is the 22nd wealthiest country in the world. It has a foreign reserve of 120 billion US dollars. The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore has established the political system as a representative democracy. Yet, the People's Action Party has won every election since self-governance began in 1959. Foreign political analysts and several opposition parties have argued that Singapore is essentially a one-party state. The Economist Intelligence Unit lists Singapore as a country with a "hybrid" system with democratic and authoritarian elements. Freedom House ranks the country as "partly free".

Guest: Chee Siok Chin, executive member of the Singapore Democratic Party..

to watch the video click one of the links below:
Online Download

Followed by Segment 2: America's coming war with China.

Comments

there are usually three counter arguments:

1. In theory multiple parties are allowe; this argument is now largely ineffective because we have seen, over an extended period of time, that in practice other parties not only have no chance of forming government in the next election, but also have difficulty merely fulfilling an effective opposition role

2. As a small nation without resources, Singapore's condition is special: this too has lost much effectiveness as recent history has shown that larger nations with resources are just as vulnerable to political and economic disturbances; further, as the establishment itself often says "we need to change with the times", new condition may require new system (but new is not automatically better)

3. The unified socio-economic system is more efficient: this is a modernized version of the socialism-central planning thesis, and has proven itself to be applicable here; the argument that comes with it is: how is the wealth so created distributed? has prosperity benefitted everyone in the society?

Posted by: sgsociety.com | 16/05/2007

Some comments:

Every reasonably free and market-oriented nation state on this planet is a "hybrid" or a "mixed economy" — combining ideas of state socialism and free market.

> The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore has established the political system as a representative democracy. <

What is the problem? It *is* a representative democracy. The fact that the PAP have NOT had landslide majorities ALL THE TIME proves this. But if you say that a one-party system is not a "true" democracy, I will argue that a two party system like they have in the US, Australia and elsewhere is not a democracy either. Neither is a a 3 or 4 party system... they are all "illusions" of democracy.

Are S'pore elections free and fair?

Of course they are — although it is difficult to even define what "fair" is in the realm of politics. C'mon Ms Chee, it's nonsense to compare S'pore's elections to Mugabe or Hussein's processes. Every political INCUMBENT in the history of humankind will "engineer" political campaigns and try to "woo" voters. What are you thinking? Utopia? You're making yourself look quite silly there. Get Real! As long as there is politics, individuals will look for opportunities to "benefit" at someone else's expense.

Additional tip on communication and presentation: PREPARE what you are going to say, and HOW you are going to explain the political process in Singapore. Get a video cam, and practice, practice, practice!

BTW, reciting a pledge to the state everyday should have died out with the Nazi's. I'm surprised in your treatise on "authoritarianism" you didn't criticise this brain-washing nonsense we subject out kids to on a daily basis.

Good points on the politicisation of the judiciary. C'mon Ye High Court Justices, for goodness sake STAND UP TO THE POLITICIANS IN THE GOVERNMENT and stop them from using you as PAWNS. By allowing the politicians to manipulate justice, you are NEGLECTING YOUR RESPONSIBILITY in keeping the INTEGRITY of JUSTICE and jurisprudence.

When the rule of law starts to deteriorate how the hell can it be trusted to uphold property rights and the law of contracts. A judiciary functioning PROPERLY will protect The Rights of people to challenge the incumbent government in due political process.

Come on S'pore judiciary, get your act together! Return the Rule Of Law to the principle that "justice is blind" — blind to favours, political pressures and such like. Bring back OBJECTIVITY into the law!

Singapore may score poorly in terms of freedom of press, speech and freedom from censorship, but it score very well (2nd in the world) in ECONOMIC FREEDOM.

If you believe, as I do (like Hayek, Menger, Ayn Rand, Friedman etc) that all other freedoms DEPEND ON economic freedom, then one might argue that S'pore is, and has always been a nation-state in transition.

Economic freedom is the most important because it allows INDIVIDUALS to create wealth for THEMSELVES through voluntary production and exchange. It allows individuals to FORM CAPITAL for investment in the productive processes which create wealth right through the general market. The more wealthier people are, the more CHOICES they can make — including disagreeing with their govt OPENLY, because the individuals are empowered, and if push comes to shove they are able to emigrate (taking all their money, skills and resources with them, as well as their future generations). When people emigrate, there is a net loss to the country. Without money, it is very difficult to emigrate.

http://www.cato.org/pubs/efw/

http://www.freetheworld.com/

http://www.heritage.org/index/

Posted by: Matilah_Singapura | 16/05/2007

I downloaded it only to listen to the second part. She stutters a lot. the second portion is far more interesting, covering a significant regional issue.

Posted by: JS | 16/05/2007

I agree with Matilah_Singapura.



The establishment of a 'bail court' is an admission of failure of the present system. But without objectivity, it corrects nothing.

Economics can still be used by the better-off to corrupt the system.

Posted by: lee hsien tau | 18/05/2007

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