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
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.
In practice
This quote could be used in a political debate to emphasize the need for strong arguments.
China is a vast, disparate country; there is no alternative to strong central power.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We must abandon the notion that the people govern. Instead, we must adopt the theory that, by their occasional mobilisations as a majority, people support or oppose the individuals who actually govern.
He brings to the fierce struggle of politics the tepid enthusiasm of a lazy summer afternoon at a cricket match.
These two great organisations of the English-speaking democracies, the British Empire and the United States, will have to be somewhat mixed up together in some affairs for mutual and general advantage. I do not view the process with any misgivings. I could not stop it if I wished. Let it roll on full flood, inexorable, irresistible, benignant, to broader lands, and better days.
If we can't have a public debate because the information space is so polluted, or because people are afraid of the reactions of organized trolls, then we can't really have meaningful elections anymore, either.
If someone is cynical and doesn't vote and ends up with a crummy job in a crummy country with a decimated environment, they only have themselves to blame.
When all the objectives of government include the achievement of equality - other than equality before the law - that government poses a threat to liberty.
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