Comparisons with worse examples like Philippines, Indonesia - or
selection comparison - is part of the constant justifications to
entrench in autocratic or one-party rule
But then again tis shows tat democracy is not a miracle pill as
one described it to be. It is another system tat has equal
questionable weaknesses as a singapore system. If democracy is so
good, then we will expect india to be economically more powerful
than china. Why does china appears to be leading ? IMHO, if india
is ruled with a stricter hand like in china, they may very well be
better than now
My reference to Asian Financial crisis - not tantamount to
blaming the existing system for such crisis. However, as was well
known, Singapore has been presenting itself as a system based on
talents and leadership, Confucianism and Asian Values were upheld
during the whole period prior to this Crisis. Did the
so-called talents, leadership and values so upheld prove its mettle
to solve the kinds of problems exposed by this crisis.
Read all the news and analyses on the Asian Crisis again. It is
more than clear that Asian Financial has exposed the fallacy that
leadership or talents of the Asian or Confucian kind will solve
such problems like corruptions, collusions, and nepotism that were
attributable to debacle of the whole financial system in this
crisis. Did I say that leaderships or talents had caused the
crisis? I only say as far as I can see from the above-stated post
the acclaimed leaderships and talents or values were not sufficient
or able to solve such problems. The Western democratic countries
not led by so-called leaderships, talents and values at that time
were largely spared from the crisis. But you preferred to refer to
Indonesia, Philippines and India as representative of democracies
and try to draw the illogical conclusion that therefore democracies
were no answers to such problems as unvealed by the crisis.
If u know, it is not called asian fiancial crisis for nothing.
Which countries in asia is spared ? If u r talking about countries
from america or europe, then it is not fair sine they r not in asia
in the first place. In tat case I can blame the Great Depression of
america to arises from their democractic political system as well.
If u blame the so called talents, leadership and values to cause
the problem of the asia fiancial crisis to singapore, another can
easily used the democratic system from these other countries as a
scapegoat as well.
There is a constant defence of autocracy without establishing it
as a viable and sustenable political system. If autocracy has
really and genuinely succeeded on its creativity and economic
prowess from unleashing of collective synergy of its people, let us
hear more of such creativity or talents. If there is no solutions
of any kind to take the economic to a higher level of
competitiveness except to continue with its existing pro-foreign
and tax-and-recover governance, then there is not much talents or
leaderships.
Well, have u establish tat democracy will really and genuinely
succeeded in unleashing the collective synergy of its people ? U
also do the same thing by comparing with a superior country such as
america as well. If we want to compare with superior countries as
some form of evidence, then we should also compare with the weaker
countries as well. Does indonesia appears to be harvesting from the
collective synergy of its people or in fact seperate the people
more ?
If u talk about creativity, singapore do imposes some of these
system. ERP, healthcare and library system etc r being studied and
implemented in places such as london etc. In fact singapore
economic model was being studied and followed by other nations such
as malaysia and china.
May be you want to say that it is capable of making quicker or
right decisions. Has indeed autocracy succeeded on such qualities
or capabilities
i find tat the response of the gov is pretty quick. The cost of
PSA had cut down significantly when there is a new challenger to
the market. The actions for SARs and bird flu response is
considerably fast as well. It has done so well tat it had received
praises from UN and a model to follow from other SARs affected
countries.
For past many years now, people under autocracy have not
witnessed any extraordinary leadership abilities as acclaimed to
take the nation to the next higher level of competitiveness except
to continue with its past non-welfarism, pro-foreign and
tax-and-recover governance, which have been causing many problems
as posted in the foregoing
Then again, does america come out with any extraordinary
leadership recently ? It is also doing almost the same policies as
it was years ago. The difference is singapore is small, vulnerable
and in an unstable region. They have to keep changing to keep up
with competition. America is big, powerful and other nations depend
on him for survival. He just have to maintain his status. U can't
compare these 2 together. The only policy tat america made is how
much tax to cut or how much interest rate is fixed. Tat is about
it.
