China is a vast, disparate country; there is no alternative to strong central power.
Lee Kuan YewRead
You know, the cure for all this talk is really a good dose of incompetent government. You get that alternative and you'll never put Singapore together again: Humpty Dumpty cannot be put together again... my asset values will disappear, my apartments will be worth a fraction of what they were, my ministers' jobs will be in peril, their security will be at risk and their women will become maids in other people's countries, foreign workers.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the essential role of competent governance in maintaining social and economic stability.
Lee Kuan Yew asserts that ineffective government can lead to disastrous consequences for a society, referencing the fable of Humpty Dumpty to illustrate that once a country falls apart due to poor leadership, it cannot easily be restored. The implications of such a failure extend beyond just governance, affecting asset values, job security, and societal roles of citizens, highlighting the interconnectedness of good leadership and societal well-being.
Themes
GovernmentLeadershipStabilitySocietyEconomics
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a political discussion to emphasize the importance of competent governance.
More from Lee Kuan Yew
All quotes →I can feel the gradual decline of energy and vitality. And I mean generally, every year, when you know you are not on the same level as last year. But that's life.
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Political reform need not go hand in hand with economic liberalization.. I hold unconventional views about this.. I do not believe if you are a libertarian, full of diverse opinions, full of competing ideas in the market place, full of sound and fury, therefore you will succeed.
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The human being is an unequal creature. That is a fact. And we start off with the proposition. All the great religions, all the great movements, all the great political ideology, say let us make the human being as equal as possible. In fact, he is not equal, never will be.
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They say, oh, let’s have multiparty politics. Let’s have different parties change and be in charge of the Government. Is it that simple? You vote in a Division Three government, not a Division One government, and the whole economy will just subside within three, four years. Finished.
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America's greatest long-term influence on China comes from playing host to the thousands of students who come from China each year, some of the ablest Chinese scholars and scientists. They will be the most powerful agents for change in China.
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