Singabloodypore

More and more of us are willing to trade freedom for wealth or security

John Kampfner guardian.co.uk, Tuesday July 1, 2008

Join the Debate

Why is it that a growing number of highly educated and well-travelled people are willing to hand over several of their freedoms in return for prosperity or security? This question has been exercising me for months as I work on a book about what I call the "pact".

The model for this is Singapore, where repression is highly selective. It is confined to those who take a conscious decision openly to challenge the authorities. If you do not, you enjoy freedom to travel, to live more or less as you wish, and – perhaps most important – to make money. Under Lee Kuan Yew, this city-state built on a swamp has flourished economically.

I was born in Singapore and have over the years been fascinated by my Chinese Singaporean friends. Doctors, financiers and lawyers, they have studied in London, Oxford, Harvard and Sydney. They have travelled across all continents; they are well versed in international politics, but are perfectly content with the situation back home. I used to reassure myself with the old certainty that this model was not applicable to larger, more diverse states. I now believe this to be incorrect.

Provincial governments in China send their brightest officials to Singapore to learn the secrets of its "success". For Russian politicians it too provides a useful model. These countries, and others in Asia and the Middle East are proving that the free markets does not require a free society in which to thrive, and that in any battle between politics and economics, it is the latter that will win out.

It is too easy to believe that this debate does not apply to us. Across western Europe, the US and in other so-called democracies, liberty is similarly losing out to both the post-9/11 security agenda and the power of global finance. Different countries hand over different freedoms; in Italy, Silvio Berlusconi (who makes no secret of his admiration for Vladimir Putin), brazenly attacks the judiciary, having effectively censored the broadcast media.

In Britain, we draw comfort from what we believe to be a robust public realm, with strong freedom of speech (although our journalists are far better at shouting than at digging out information). And yet, as David Davis so theatrically has reminded us, we are sleepwalking into a level of state surveillance that will not be reversed.

Many countries, including our own, are entering into new pacts with their rulers. Resurgent autocrats draw strength from the many weaknesses of western leaderships, not just their mistakes in foreign policy, but their failure to rejuvenate their own political systems, or to deal with a business culture that had lost touch with the needs of society.

It was Oswald Spengler who at the turn of the last century predicted that "the masses will accept with resignation the victory of the Caesars, the strong men, and will obey them".

A modern form of authoritarianism, quite distinct from Soviet Communism, Maoism or Fascism, is being born. It is providing a modicum of a good life, and a quiet life, the ultimate anaesthetic for the brain.

From Alex Au of Yawning Bread...

Shine for Singapore
This is our song
Reach out for the sky
Far and beyond
As one we'll stand
We're Singapore
It's here that we belong
Nowhere I'd rather be
This is home to me
This star shines strong and free

Every year, as National Day comes around, we are inflicted with these patriotic songs. Don't be fooled by the sugary melody. The cringe-inducing lyrics are on par with what North Korea produces.

It's a bad joke that that last word is "free". Will somebody please tell the government that singing "free" doesn't make us so.

In fact, our lack of freedom is there for all to see in that very same music video. It's like this: Far from convincing people about anything that Singapore can be proud of, it has quite unexpectedly shone a spotlight on the way we have systematically stifled originality through curbs on freedom of expression. Too many Singaporeans have learnt to play safe. All we can do is copy the tried and tested. We treat anyone with unconventional ideas exactly the way the Japanese ad warns us against.

It's a schadenfreude moment: Just weeks after Vivian suggested that the PAP is ready for the YouTube age of politics, it is through YouTube that the first goal is scored -- an own goal.

From Chia Ti Lik's Blog
The 19 Accused

C/o 24 Peck Seah Street
#05-09/11 Nehsons Building
Singapore 079314
16th July 2008

Mr. Michael Hwang
President, Law Society of Singapore


Dear Sir,

APPEAL FOR PRO BONO LEGAL REPRESENTATION

We are the 19 Singaporeans charged for allegedly participating in an assembly and procession without permit near Parliament House on 15th March 2008.

We had as citizens claimed our right to peaceful assembly and presented ourselves before Parliament House to speak out against the multitude of ill-timed price hikes initiated by the Government, which have exacerbated the inflationary situation and cost of living for Singaporeans.

On 11th July 2008, we were all charged each with one count of assembly without a permit and one count of procession without a permit.

In light of the price hikes further initiated from the 15th March 2008 till today, it is clear that this Government remains unwilling to take active steps to make life less unbearable for all Singaporeans.

In the light of the decision to charge us for speaking up as citizens, it is clear that this Government will not hesitate to silence citizens by discouraging citizens from exercising the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.