China is a vast, disparate country; there is no alternative to strong central power.
Lee Kuan YewRead
To straddle the middle ground and win elections, we have to be in charge of the political agenda. This can only be done by not being beaten in the argument with our critics. They complain that I come down too hard on their arguments. But wrong ideas have to be challenged before they influence public opinion and make for problems. Those who try to be clever at the expense of the government should not complain if my replies are as sharp as their criticisms.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Winning elections requires controlling the political narrative and proactively addressing criticisms.
In this quote, Lee Kuan Yew emphasizes the importance of defending one's views and ideas against criticism in the political arena. He argues that to achieve success in elections, it is necessary to take charge of the political agenda by challenging and contesting wrong ideas that could adversely influence public opinion. Yew suggests that a strong rebuttal to critics is essential for maintaining credibility and guiding the narrative effectively.
Themes
PoliticsCriticismElectionsPublic OpinionAgenda
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a political debate to emphasize the need for strong arguments.
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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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