China is a vast, disparate country; there is no alternative to strong central power.
Lee Kuan YewRead
We have to lock up people, without trial, whether they are communists, whether they are language chauvinists, whether they are religious extremists. If you don’t do that, the country would be in ruins.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the necessity of maintaining order and security in a nation, even if it requires controversial decisions regarding civil liberties.
In this quote, Lee Kuan Yew advocates for strict security measures to ensure national stability. He argues that certain groups, such as communists, language chauvinists, or religious extremists, pose a potential threat to society, and in times of unrest, extraordinary measures, including detention without trial, may be justified to protect the greater good and prevent chaos. This perspective raises important questions about the balance between security and individual rights.
Themes
SecurityLeadershipOrderProtectionCivil Liberties
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about national security measures.
More from Lee Kuan Yew
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.
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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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