China is a vast, disparate country; there is no alternative to strong central power.
Lee Kuan YewRead
I started off believing all men were equal. I now know that's the most unlikely thing ever to have been... But by observation, reading, watching, arguing, asking, that is the conclusion I've come to.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a realization about the inherent inequalities among people based on personal experiences and observations.
Lee Kuan Yew expresses a profound understanding that, contrary to his initial belief in the equality of all men, reality has shown him that inequalities exist among individuals. Through various methods such as observation and discussion, he concludes that the assumption of equal capabilities and conditions among people is unrealistic, emphasizing the complexity of human diversity and capabilities.
Themes
EqualityInequalityObservationUnderstandingHuman Nature
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about social justice and equality.
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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.
Lee Kuan YewRead
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.
Lee Kuan YewRead
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.
Lee Kuan YewRead
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Originality is a thing we constantly clamour for, and constantly quarrel with.
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