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The
Singapore Miracle: Myth and Realty
by Rodney King
“Apart
from Singaporean political activist Chee Soon Juan, few writers
have exposed the many shortcomings of Singapore's economic
miracle, and especially how little Singaporeans have gained from
it.
Were more commentators to do so, Singapore would no
longer be regarded as a model for national development.”
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Singapore:
Miracle or Myth
07 Jun 07
Below are
excerpts from:
The Singapore Miracle: Myth and Reality
Rodney King, 2006
Paperback
Insight Press
pp.
516
Selling Singapore's miracle to the locals is as
important as promoting it to foreign capital and the
international community. Singaporeans must be happy with their
lot to make them more malleable.
They will more readily
accept restrictions the Government imposes on them to please
foreign capital. The PAP never tires of telling Singaporeans how
much they have benefited from its rule, how much happier they are
in their HDB units than in the kampongs and how poverty has all
but disappeared.
The rivers of dubious statistics the PAP
state generates to back its questionable claims have often been
uncritically accepted by journalists and Western neo-cons and the
now discredited "Asia Rising" theorists.
Both
the myths and the statistics used to "prove" the
Singapore Miracle are suspect. To what extent is the miracle a
statistical mirage? If the statistics and myth-making used to
promote this miracle are scraped away what is left? – A
dependent and EIC-deficient economy, driven by MNC capital and
expertise, with severe inequalities of wealth and income, high
living and an often poorly paid workforce. Such truths about
Singapore's miracle are not widely known abroad.
Negative
foreign comments about Singapore focus on its authoritarian
nature, the ruthless persecution of political opponents, its
compromised and "compliant" judiciary, its lack of
press freedom and its less-than-free elections. But Singapore is
still seen as an economic success story that has delivered high
living standard to its citizens despite democratic
shortcomings.
Apart from Singaporean political activist
Chee Soon Juan, few writers have exposed the many shortcomings of
Singapore's economic miracle, and especially how little
Singaporeans have gained from it.
Were more commentators
to do so, Singapore would no longer be regarded as a model for
national development. It would lose its iconic "brand name"
status around the world, particularly among neo-conservatives and
the globalisation lobby. An MNC outpost serviced by underpaid
locals and ruled by a manipulative and over-paid political elite
is not an inspiring development model.
Myth versus
Reality
Unlike Singapore's foreign friends, PAP
leaders understand its real situation. Frantic government efforts
to transform the country into an entrepreneurial, innovative,
risk-taking society reflect this concern. However, such ends can
only be achieved if the PAP state relinquishes much of its power
over the economy and people.
While desperately trying to
transform the economy, the PAP continues to deluge Singaporeans
with assurances that everything is fine, using biased statistics
to do this. Many Singaporeans see through such subterfuge,
perceiving their society as one riven with privilege and
inequality.
While the Government soothingly talks of
cosmopolitans and heartlanders, Singaporeans name things
differently. There is the "condo class" composed of
highly-paid managers and professionals, at whose center are the
country's over-paid PAP rulers. And there is the "HDB
class", comprising the vast bulk of the population, battling
along on incomes of S$1,500 to $2,000 a month and often less,
living limited and intimidated lives under a watchful and
repressive state.
Another major socio-economic division in
Singapore is between the privileged MNC-SE sector, protected at
the expense of a stunted, marginalized SME sector. SME resentment
at this intensifies with every economic downturn. They know well
that there is no level playing field for them when competing
against the MNCs and SEs.
Besides growing inequality,
Singapore is hollowing out economically and socially. It will
remain dependent on foreign capital and talent despite endless
"re-engineering" efforts to make it more competitive.
Singapore is becoming a transient hotel-type society. State-led
efforts to inculcate patriotism and a sense of community merely
disguise this process.
Eventually the truth may emerge
that Singapore cannot be transformed into the economy the PAP
wants unless the Government is prepared to relinquish significant
economic and political control.
The PAP cannot do this
because it would undermine its rule and disrupt many powerful
vested interests. However, without such reform Singapore is
condemned to ongoing mediocrity. A vibrant MNC sector and huge
national reserves will disguise this only for a
while.
Nonetheless, a combination of internal and external
factors could disrupt and tear apart Singapore's carefully
cultivated image as a competitive cutting-edge economy. Some
scenarios have been outlines on how this could occur.
If
conditions worsen, no amount of PAP spin, compliant ratings
agencies or neo-con accolades will disguise Singapore's growing
problems. Only then will the myths that have sustained PAP'
Singapore for so long be exposed; and only then will Singapore
become a deservedly discarded development model for developing
countries. Then, the Singapore Miracle will finally be seen for
what it is.
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