Tribute to the Passing of a Great Man

I just received news that Lee Kuan Yew (LKY), the "Founding Father of Modern Republic Singapore," passed away a few hours ago. I didn't know him personally, but just like how I and so many others respect Abraham Lincoln, I respect Lee and mourn his passing. He was a great man and possessed one of the brightest minds on the earth; a real visionary who dedicated his life to building Singapore. No really, even detractors who criticize his methods can't deny that he everything he did was for Singapore. 

But he was also a paradox, a "soft dictator."

Yes, he ruled with an iron fist, and yes, Singapore still ranks abysmally low on the "freedom of speech" and "freedom of press" index, especially considering that it is a developed, First World nation.

But how many leaders do you know have taken a Third World country and transformed it into a First World nation within a single generation? Please remember that Singapore is a tiny island (it's roughly half the size of Los Angelos!) with no natural resources except for its people. Even our British colonizers didn't believe that we would survive, and feared an overtake by the communists if they withdrew; hence, we joined with Malaysia from 1963-1965 (racial disputes forced us to become independent). Yet, today, Singapore is one of the wealthiest countries in Asia (some sources say the world). And I personally think it is one of the most orderly, safest, cleanest, and greenest countries, with a kick-butt public transportation system. It's mind-blowing if you think about Singapore's lightning-fast development and modernization.

Credits to the original owners

Furthermore, he worked hard to build an honest government. I'm not naive to think that there was no corruption-- surely not everyone in his cabinet had his integrity-- but it says something when multiple major media sources (such as the Economist, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal) mention LKY's clean and transparent government in their obituaries. He once said in a 1992 speech that most Asian developing nations did not need a democratic government, but an honest one (quote from here and Wikiquote). I'm not saying he was right, but it's sure food for thought.

And as a romantic at heart, my heart warms at his daughter's descriptions of her parent's marriage. LKY, for all his failings as a Chinese patriarchal and authoritarian statesman and father, loved his wife and took great care of her when she had a debilitating stroke.

Did LKY build up a perfect nation? No. Was his government perfect? No. Was LKY a dictator? Yes. LKY was also extremely candid, and sometimes came off as arrogant (//Sherlock Holmes). I just wrote a paper about the status of women in Singapore and the Singapore government, and cringed at a speech he delivered at a women's conference (no less!). In that speech, he said that Singaporean women enjoyed a better standard of living because of the government. [To be fair, he said in the same speech that a country that did not educate its women was a foolish one. And his government did help women to a certain extent.]


Yet, it would be a gross injustice to harp on his failings because in a paradoxical way, his weaknesses were his very strengths. How do you build an Asian waterhole from scratch and turn it into a modernized, efficient, wealthy and educated nation? You herd its citizens and make them obey your draconian measures. Little wonder Singapore remains a fascinating case study for scholars.


My Facebook feed is understandably inundated with posts mourning his passing. I think, however, that an American friend (ironically) paid the best and most fitting tribute: I hope that in remembering and celebrating their leader, Singapore does not ignore or forget his controversial politics but take this opportunity to continue (start?) the conversations about the trade-offs and balance between economic inequality/growth, political freedom/stability, pragmatism and fairness.

NB: For a quick rundown about LKY and his controversial government, see these two opinions pieces on Foreign Policy, one pro and one anti (you might have to subscribe). The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times have also provided comprehensive and balanced obituaries. His autobiography, From Third World to First: The Singapore Story, 1965-2000, is a thick but fascinating read as well.