POL103: The first decade following Singapore’s independence proved to be a time of great uncertainty: Government and Politics of Singapore TMA Assignment, SUSS, Singapore

Question

The first decade following Singapore’s independence proved to be a time of great uncertainty. In From Third World to First: The Singapore Story: 1965 – 2000, Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew made the following remark about how the city-state’s future was perceived at the time of independence.

“We faced tremendous odds with an improbable chance of survival. Singapore was not a natural country but man-made, a trading post the British had developed into a nodal point in their worldwide maritime empire. We inherited the island without its hinterland, a heart without a body.

” Identify and explain the main reasons that created an uncertain outlook for Singapore and its ability to survive at the time of its independence.

Thereafter, your answer should discuss in detail THREE fundamental challenges Singapore and its pioneer leadership faced in the first decade after independence and elaborate on how each of those challenges was addressed.