China is a vast, disparate country; there is no alternative to strong central power.
Lee Kuan YewRead
Three women were brought to the Singapore General Hospital, each in the same condition and needing a blood transfusion. The first, a Southeast Asian was given the transfusion but died a few hours later. The second, a South Asian was also given a transfusion but died a few days later. The third, an East Asian, was given a transfusion and survived. That is the X factor in development.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the complex factors affecting survival and success in development, particularly in a medical context.
Lee Kuan Yew's quote emphasizes the unpredictable elements that can influence outcomes in critical situations like healthcare. Despite similar circumstances, the results can vary dramatically due to underlying factors, which he refers to as the 'X factor' in development, suggesting that there are unseen or not fully understood influences at play.
Themes
DevelopmentSurvivalHealthcareInfluenceOutcomes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about medical successes and failures, one might refer to this quote to illustrate the unpredictability of healthcare outcomes.
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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.
Lee Kuan YewRead
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