singapore perspectives 2020 · • french political scientist maurice duverger: “thedominant...
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Engaging Minds, Exchanging Ideas
Singapore Perspectives 2020Politics
Monday, 20 January 2020
Sands Grand Ballroom, Sands Expo and Convention Centre
IPSLKYSPP @IPS_sg #SP2020Politics
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SPEAKER
Dr Lam Peng ErSenior Research Fellow
East Asian Institute
National University of Singapore
PANEL IPaths Taken
IPSLKYSPP
@IPS_sg
#SP2020Politics
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1
PAP as PERENNIAL PARTY-IN-POWER:
FROM OLD GUARD TO 4G
SINGAPORE PERSPECTIVES 2020
20 January 2020
LAM Peng Er
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• Singapore’s Founding Fathers: Lee & his Lieutenants (LL)
• “Die was cast”: LL set template of good governance in Singapore.
• Values & ideals of meritocracy, non-corruptibility, multi-
culturalism & ethnic equality.
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• Old Guard harnessed dynamism of capitalism, open economy &
foreign investments but tempered it with “socialistic” benefits for
masses (housing, education & health care etc.)
• Singapore’s equivalent to fundamental “land reforms” is superb
public housing program which created a property owning working
& middle classes.
3
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• Arguably: LL were “revolutionaries” (public housing, nation-
building/ national identity, national conscription, bilingual
language policies etc.) while 2G, 3G & 4G leaders were/ are
technocrats who kept the flag flying.
• Style of governance may change but fundamental values remain
essentially the same.
• Indeed, Singapore system/ model of governance is firmly
entrenched today. But what about the future in a turbulent world?
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• French political scientist Maurice Duverger: “The dominant
party wears itself out in office, it loses its vigor, its arteries
harden. It would thus be possible to show … that every
domination bears within itself the seeds of its own
destruction”.
• But PAP seemed to have defied Duverger’s prediction thus
far.
Duverger’s life cycle theory
of dominant political parties
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Puzzle: why did the PAP succeed in maintaining its one-party
dominance since 1959?
• Quality of its leaders: ability to attract talent & smooth handling
over of political baton.
• Institutions, norms & blueprint of governance established by Old
Guard: resonated with electorate.
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• PAP’ successful economic stewardship coupled with distribution of
material benefits for masses.
• Majority of voters find life in Singapore rather tolerable on the
whole even if there are unhappiness with specific public policies
e.g. public transportation & immigration policies.
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• History & “path dependency”: Opposition party Barisan Socialis’
blundered by boycotting 1968 GE PAP monopoly of parliament.
• Singapore’s first-past-the-post-electoral system without
proportional representation has benefited dominant PAP.
• PAP is impressive at grassroots: e.g. MP’s conscientious meet-the-
people sessions.
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• PAP: a very disciplined cadre party --- not faction-ridden.
• PAP’s advantage of perennial rule: symbiotic ties with state
machinery & NTUC, influence on media, & extended its
hegemonic values to society.
• PAP: an incumbent party maintaining its relative autonomy from
lobby groups/ special interests e.g. big property developers.
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• Singapore has an estimated “war chest” of more than $1 trillion in
its national reserves (Straits Times, 20 February 2018).
• Future PAP government can prudently dip into national reserves
(with consent of Elected President) if need be --- in the wake of
black swan events, domestic challenges & external threats.
10
PAP: THE ROAD AHEAD?
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• Simply put: PAP government has financial wherewithal to weather
crisis.
• Singapore society will be more pluralistic, global & diverse in
values & interests in years ahead.
• PAP must evolve & adapt: from party which addressed “politics of
survival” to “politics of aspiration” & identity among a more
diverse, better educated & cosmopolitan electorate.
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• Arguably, PAP has become more “socialistic” in recent years to
stay in power e.g. offering more material benefits to working class,
older workers & retirees etc. (E.g. More housing subsidies, rise in
bursaries for pre-school & tertiary education, Merdeka generation
package including healthcare subsidies)
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1) PAP’s hegemonic control of political narratives & facts: Will
POFMA (Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act)
be effective?
2) Can PAP resolve PMET (Professional, Managers, Executives &
Technicians) problem, address rising social inequality & attract
support of millennials?
3) Will top PAP leadership remain united in post-Lee Hsien Loong
era? Can PAP afford a Team B without tearing party asunder?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
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4a) On political elitism: Can PAP’s governance evolve from a small
elite circle to greater political participation & transparency in
governance e.g. let citizens know the value of our national reserves?
• Can citizens have greater access to information & statistics from
state bureaucracy?
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4b) Can a small political elite circle make mistakes?
• YES: e.g. electoral backlash in GE 2011 over immigration,
housing & transportation.
• In years ahead, is there an inherent danger for PAP & Singapore if
a small elite circle were to make major mistakes?
• Is Singapore putting all our “political eggs” in one basket? What if
a future PAP Team A fails?
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4c) Will PAP’s “natural aristocracy” in the future be based on
“nobility of character” rather than privilege of birth & political
dynasties?
5) More formidable political challengers to the PAP? Can opposition
parties attract talent in greater numbers & offer a narrative which
counters PAP’s hegemonic/ ideological discourse?
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• Trillion $ question: can PAP in the decades ahead avoid
Duverger’s theory that all dominant political parties will
eventually be thrown out of power?
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18
Sorry …
… I’m not clairvoyant
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19
Thank You
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Engaging Minds, Exchanging Ideas
Singapore Perspectives 2020Politics
Monday, 20 January 2020
Sands Grand Ballroom, Sands Expo and Convention Centre
IPSLKYSPP @IPS_sg #SP2020Politics