At first glance, it seems Singapore has done everything right. The model metropolis is considered one of the richest countries in the world. Its inhabitants have a high life expectancy, can rely on a well-developed healthcare system, and benefit from a good education system. But is the city-state really the success model it is often portrayed as? Restricted press and speech freedoms, the death penalty, the exploitation of foreign workers, and high living costs tarnish the glittering image of the model city.
The Anomaly: How did Singapore become a city-state?
The beginnings of the island
To begin to understand Singapore, one must first take a look at the country’s history. As early as the 13th and 14th centuries, the island at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula was an important trading post in the region. Over time, however, Singapore’s importance declined. When Thomas Stanford Raffles, acting as an envoy for the British East India Company, set foot on Singapore in 1819, the island at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula was home to just 1,000 people.
Under a treaty with the Sultan of Johor, who controlled the territory at the time, the British acquired the right to establish a trading post on the island. Today, this date is considered the foundation of modern Singapore. Motivated both by the prospect of work and by the island’s flourishing trade, more and more people from various parts of Asia—especially China—were drawn to the British colony. Early on, the British strictly divided the city into ethnically segregated neighborhoods. Indians, Chinese, Arabs, Malays, and Europeans lived separately and had few points of overlap.
Independence?!
After World War II, during which the British were unable to protect the island from a brutal Japanese occupation, calls grew louder for Singapore’s independence from Great Britain and its incorporation into Malaysia. Starting in 1963, Singapore was part of Malaysia, which was ruled at that time by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO). The stated goal of this party was to give Malays in Malaysia preferential treatment over other ethnic groups. Lee Kuan Yew, then Prime Minister of Singapore and of Chinese descent, was, however, part of a movement that called for equality among all ethnic groups.
This was popular not least because around 70 percent of Singapore's residents, then as now, have Chinese roots. Due to these political differences, violent riots resulting in several hundred deaths and injuries occurred in Malaysia and Singapore in the 1960s. The UMNO therefore felt compelled in 1965 to expel Singapore from Malaysia.
Today, Malaysia Separation Day on August 9th is celebrated annually as a national holiday. In 1965, however, it represented a severe blow to Singapore. Many believed that tiny Singapore, a country without significant resources or international relations, would not survive for long.
The Rise: Singapore's Path to a Global City
The early steps of the state of Singapore
Lee Kuan Yew's People's Action Party (PAP) strove to secure Singapore's international legitimacy after its separation. In the very year of independence, the country joined the United Nations and, in 1967, formed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with other Southeast Asian states, though this would only contribute to effective regional cooperation at a later stage.
To ensure the survival of the city-state, the PAP focused particularly on Singapore's old strengths: the country's location on the Strait of Malacca, the most important sea route between China and Europe, allowed the Singaporeans to expand port facilities and profit from trade between the continents. The state's Economic Development Board also focused on foreign investments designed to bring specialized industry first, and later technology companies, financial services, and research institutions into the country.
To this day, Singapore is considered the easiest country in which to start a business. However, Lee and his party were also aware that foreign capital would only flow into Singapore if the country was sufficiently stable and secure.
From a divided city to a stable, multiethnic country
Part of ensuring this stability was the construction of numerous public housing projects, coordinated by the Housing Development Board (HDB), where Singaporeans can still rent apartments on favorable terms for 99 years. Over 70% of Singapore’s residents live in the HDBs, as the buildings are called. What is particularly noteworthy here is that, through the government’s allocation of housing units, the state also controls the ethnic composition of the housing blocks.
Since 1989, quotas have existed that regulate how many people from the city's various ethnic groups can live in an HDB block or neighborhood. This is intended to prevent the ethnic enclaves that existed under British rule. The quota is largely based on the proportions of Singapore's four main ethnic groups – Chinese, Malays, Indians, and „Others“ – in the overall population. Thus, housing in Singapore ensures affordable housing on the one hand, but also social mixing and the prevention of single cultural clusters in the city on the other.
In addition, there are strict laws that prevent foreign influence on religious or political associations and allow for severe penalties for hate speech. As a result, Singapore is considered a model country when it comes to cultural coexistence. Followers of different religions are also treated equally. Churches stand next to synagogues and Buddhist temples, and residents have days off for Chinese New Year, the Hindu festival of lights Deepavali, and Christmas. Furthermore, with English as the lingua franca, none of the three major population groups is favored.
Today, Singapore is considered one of the most livable cities in the world; it is one of the wealthiest countries globally and one of Asia's most important financial and logistics hubs.
The Catch: The PAP and Incomplete Democracy
Lack of Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press
That is the „Singapore Story.“ The PAP overcame the shock of independence, and Singapore’s fate was turned around by the decisive actions of Lee Kuan Yew, as well as his son and successor as prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong. According to the party’s self-perception, the whole world now looks enviously upon this city-state in Southeast Asia. Yet the nation’s rapid rise came at the cost of a tightly organized and uncompromising style of governance.
Although the People's Action Party is elected in free elections, it has heavily tilted the political playing field in its favor since taking power in 1959. For instance, freedom of the press is severely restricted in the country. The largest TV stations and newspapers are controlled by media conglomerates close to the government, and the state has the ability to suppress critical reporting.
Experts also see strong self-censorship among state journalists, as they can quickly become the target of politicians for incorrect reporting. Laws to prevent „fake news“ serve the PAP to monitor and control critical voices. Therefore, Singapore ranks in the Reporters Without Borders Index consistently ranks at the bottom. Public protests, demonstrations, or strikes are permitted only to a very limited extent and under strict controls.
This oppression is evident, for example, in the Dealing with Critics of the Death Penalty, which still exists and is imposed in Singapore. The death penalty is particularly used in Singapore for drug offenses. For example, possessing 500 grams of cannabis is enough to sentence a person to death. Even in the face of international criticism Does the government adhere to this practice?.
Who pays the price for prosperity?
Cheap labor from other Asian countries built the city's imposing skyline. As guest workers, they do not benefit from the metropolis's amenities. A system ties their visas strictly to their employer. As a result, the authorities can quickly revoke their right of residence. The workers live in overcrowded mass accommodations on the outskirts of the city.
The poor conditions became apparent, especially during the corona pandemic. At that time, Singapore published infection figures separately for migrant workers and the rest of the population. This made the two-tier society clear.
Added to this is the extremely high cost of living. Even many citizens find it difficult to afford, despite government assistance programs.
High prosperity, high price
Singapore is doing a lot of things right. In our globalized world, the people of Singapore have created the ideal conditions to benefit from the steadily growing global economy, have implemented government programs for housing construction and for improving the health and education systems with great success, and have raised the quality of life in the city to a level that residents of neighboring countries can only dream of.
But those in Europe who look enviously at the island should not forget that all of this was only possible through the restriction of civil liberties, with the help of underpaid foreign workers, and amid a high cost of living. Furthermore, it should not be underestimated that Singapore, thanks to its geographical location, has always had a decisive advantage over other countries. The future will show whether little Singapore can continue to hold its own on the world stage.
