Is this true? Also, should other countries consider this approach?

NEGI RK Wednesday, January 06, 2021

Is this true? Also, should other countries consider this approach?

I met a Singaporean recently, and in our conversations he told me that “Singaporeans have sacrificed personal freedoms for their economic prosperity, but nobody is complaining.”

I’d broadly agree with that assessment. Singapore is a country with no obvious advantages - lack of natural resources, limited land, surrounded by hostile countries - and yet it has transformed itself into one of the most prosperous countries in the world.

And at least a part of that story is an awful lot of government control. It is not exactly a secret that law enforcement is incredibly strict in Singapore. Nor is it exactly a secret that the Government controls the major press outlets and exerts influence on what Singaporeans read and hear internally. And although it is a democracy, it is a carefully calibrated democracy which ensures that the ruling party stays in power.

However: it works. The result is a country that is happy, healthy, and prosperous. Is it as free as some other countries? Possibly not. But it is still an extremely pleasant country to live in.