HY2229/SSA2204: Nation-building in Singapore AY 2013/14, Semester 2 Tutorial Topic 3 Discussion Question: First, though in the short term, the

claims of economic growth and nation-building may be competitive or contradictory, in the longer term this may not be the case. If we did not have sufficient economic growth at least to mop up the large number of unemployed youths, then any talk of nation-building would be idle chatter.the choice between economic growth and nation-building, like so many choices in human affairs.is how much of one at the expense of how much of the other. Only history will tell whether we have selected proportions correctly and, within the selected proportions, whether we have done enough to reduce the tension resulting from rapid economic growth, and to inspire the broader vision. Dr Goh Keng Swee, Defence Minister (speech at opening ceremony of the University of Singapore Students Union student conference at the National Youth Leadership Training Institute on 9 May 1971)

As a historian in 2013 assessing Singapores modern history, do you think Singapore has selected the proportions between economic growth and nation-building correctly, and inspired the broader vision?

1971 : concern? economic growth. No economic growth unemploymentnation building cannot happen without economic growth.

- Broader vision: nation building. Not just government, but everybody goes behind this particular plan, everyone progress together, share same view. - Is economic growth and nation building are complementary processers? This balance may work in this phase but may not work in another phase. Next decade may not work because changes. Needs changes in the country. Economic model we use. Chart the change. Transition policy needed to make sure we can smoothly go into the other transition phase.

Transitionpoliciesimpact (political and social)ans the question

A. Phase 1 A Colonial Entrepot to Import-Substitution Industrialization, 1945-1965 Make things. Less rely For local people. Country needs more xxx, instead of import xxx, we import cotton and manufacture ourselves. More educated work force education system Singapore: education always linked with economic model. Math/ science. Push to become a profession. In high demandmost profitable profession. Conclude that: Proportion wrong? Proportion correct because it was the needs of the time. Although Historical awareness of nation was very low. Not okay now but ok at that time. Because

B. Phase 2 Export-oriented Industrialization, 1965 circa 1979 EOI C. Phase 3 - The 1980s = the Second Industrial Revolution: EOI

(Focus on building a new Singapore national identity) Overseas market. Local market .since separate with Malaysia. High-end goods. Cannto continue doing low-end goods because of india and china. Born in economic prosperity. Government lost in 1980s. This generation is forgetting . Why do we do moral module in mother tongue? Good moral belongs to Asian. asian values give you the good side of who you are lots of foreigners coming in. inferstructure. Anything about communication. Tv.

Government, NE program. Social study. Doesn't work?

labor-intensive industries to high-skilled, higher value-added industries

D. Phase 4 Embracing Globalization, towards a Knowledge-based Economy

KBE

Education - innovation - entrepreneurship: diversity in investment. All ventres are risky. One investment fails. Other backup. We are diversify. Education should generate workforce that are able to do this. Innovation. what we are trying to change. Negative outcome:

stressblame government. Education system: competitive. Exam system. Environment becomes very competitive, a certain phenomenon: inequality in education and income. Tuition. Can afford. Migrate because of the education system in Singapore. The exact things other countries are looking for. Also. We only lose a couple people? Those people are precisely the ones we needed. Leaders. Top. We lose them most easily. Other countries. Not some thing only happens recently. But something happens all the time. During transition, some people cannot carry on. Government helping them ? yes. Proportions correct or wrong? Depends on you. Government can only address the problem Getting housing, education in primary school, sg and foreigner. You feeling more well-loved as a citizen. ?

Focus on grades

Todays ST Free market competition social solidarity Universal truth. Inequality. Income, wealth. Inequality is a way of life.