China is a vast, disparate country; there is no alternative to strong central power.
Lee Kuan YewRead
I ignore polling as a method of government. I think that shows a certain weakness of mind - an inability to chart a course whichever way the wind blows, whichever way the media encourages the people to go, you follow. If you can't force or are unwilling to force your people to follow you, with or without threats, you are not a leader.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Polling can undermine true leadership by prioritizing popular opinion over principled decision-making.
Lee Kuan Yew's quote emphasizes that effective leadership requires the strength and determination to guide people based on one's vision, rather than simply conforming to popular sentiment or media influence. He suggests that relying on polling indicates a lack of confidence and a failure to take a firm stand that may be necessary to lead effectively.
Themes
LeadershipPollingDecision-MakingStrengthVision
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of strong leadership in government.
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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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