[N]o man can judge a person
accurately if that person is superior than he is… Very seldom does an inferior
person say, “He’s better than me.” Once you have weak people on top, the whole
system slowly goes down. It’s inevitable.――――An
80-storey Building on Marshy Land
We are living in an adult world. Why
do we have peace? Because it is not cost-free if you hit us. If you hit us we
will hit you and the damage may be more on your side.――――An 80-storey Building
on Marshy Land
That is how rational and
pragmatic countries operate. We don’t have to love each other to work with each
other. A convergence of interests does not erase emotions but can temper them.――――An 80-storey Building
on Marshy Land
The global dominance of the
United States means that liberal democracy has emerged as the standard against
which all countries are most commonly measured… Some leaders might be inclined
to pander to global public opinion by mouthing democratic platitudes.――――Will the PAP Last?
Lee and his successors have shown
that a one-party dominant state with free elections――and
not all the other accoutrements of democracy like a freewheeling media――can
enjoy legitimacy… He also sees a more sinister reason for Western diatribes
against Singapore――an unspoken fear that it could
prove to be a viable alternative model for emerging countries, especially
China.――――Will the PAP Last?
I don’t believe that democracy is
the best form of government for all countries and will spread throughout the
world. If it is, why are the Western countries so keen to force it down people’s
throat? If liberal democracy is so superior, it will take over the world just
like the market economy is definitely superior to planned economy and has taken
over the whole world.――――Will the
PAP Last?
My fundamental belief is that
whatever your background, you should have an equal chance in life, in
education, in health, in nutrition. So you may not be as well-fed with all the
meat and vitamins as a wealthier person, but you should have enough to make
sure that you’re not stunted, so you can perform and achieve your best in life.
That’s the only way a society can grow. I am against a feudal society where
your birth decides where you stay in the pecking order.――――Will the PAP Last?