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At the end of the day, is Singapore society better or worse off? That's the test.
Lee Kuan Yew
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The value of a society is determined by the well-being of its people.

This quote by Lee Kuan Yew emphasizes the importance of evaluating a society based on the daily experiences and overall well-being of its members. He suggests that societal progress should ultimately be judged by whether people's lives improve over time, making it a measure of effective governance and social policies.

Themes

SocietyWell-BeingProgressEvaluationGovernance

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about public policy effectiveness, one could quote Lee Kuan Yew to emphasize the importance of outcomes for society.

More from Lee Kuan Yew

China is a vast, disparate country; there is no alternative to strong central power.
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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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