“But the habit of framing issues in terms of Asian and Western values did distort Singapore's view of its own challenges. Policy-makers… — Cherian George Habits Copy Share Image
“Since the mid-1980s, the government had sensed that one key reason why the opposition-for-opposition's-sake argument was so compelling to voters was that… — Cherian George Politics Copy Share Image
“Certainly, the PAP applies far more stringent background checks on its candidates than the opposition does on its own. However, in some… — Cherian George Copy Share Image
“Singapore's tragedy is not the absence of idealism, but that it systematically rewards the individualistic majority and discourages the socially-conscious minority. This… — Cherian George Desire to live Copy Share Image
“The Singapore School's quarrel with the West was partly over the sequence and pace of democratisation. It was acknowledge that certain norms… — Cherian George Civil service Copy Share Image
“We are told that the main risk factors threatening Singapore's peace and prosperity are, first, our own unreliability as citizens (we may… — Cherian George Economic development Copy Share Image
“The answer lies in a system of press management combining watertight legal controls with a compelling political ideology that encourages not just… — Cherian George Cybersecurity Copy Share Image
“The Singapore School of Thought, as some began to call it, emphasised the lack of universality of many Western political norms...Singapore's own… — Cherian George Civil liberties Copy Share Image
“The leaders' adherence to the principle of collective cabinet responsibility makes it difficult to ascertain the respective contributions of each, but enough… — Cherian George Leadership Copy Share Image
“Of all the attempts to propel Singapore faster along the path of political liberalisation, few have backfired as badly as the West's… — Cherian George Democracy and human rights Copy Share Image
“As the state spreads it tentacles into every corner of life in the name of regulation, rationalization or economic development, people who… — Cherian George Economic development Copy Share Image
“The main rationale for the "elimination of politics' is also its main tool: rapid and broad-based economic development, in PAP thinking, both… — Cherian George Economic development Copy Share Image
“Equally important was the question of whose road map to follow. No country should be expected to arrive at exactly the same… — Cherian George Road map Copy Share Image
“And, if even a polished, professional communicator like Catherine Lim misfired in her attempt, what chance did most Singaporeans have? That affair… — Cherian George Copy Share Image
“Not everyone would see a passive public as necessarily a bad thing. There are benefits to limiting political engagement to a minority… — Cherian George Bad thing Copy Share Image
“Perhaps, like bureaucracies everywhere, government officials in Singapore are uncomfortable with groups who appeal successfully to the public's sense of idealism, and… — Cherian George Politics Copy Share Image
“In the classic liberal formulation, the press is seen as a pure expression of democracy. Thus, in the United States, the Constitution… — Cherian George Democracy Copy Share Image
“Under Goh, the government continued to be suspicious of prevailing popular opinion and special interests, and focused instead on what it saw… — Cherian George Politics Copy Share Image
“We are told that the main risk factors threatening Singapore's peace and prosperity are, first, our own unreliability as citizens (we may… — Cherian George Copy Share Image
“Singaporeans wanted the benefits of PAP government nationally, but locally, they were prepared to elect opposition candidate to check on the ruling… — Cherian George Politics Copy Share Image
