EDGEFIELD SEC SCH 2019 4NA SS PRELIM QP

EDG/MYE2019/HUM/4NA/CWE&ANDI 2 Section A (Source-Based Case Study) Question 1 is compulsory for all candidates. 1 Living in a Diverse Society Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the questions. You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition to those sources which you are told to use. In answering the questions you should us e your knowledge of the issue to help you interpret and evaluate the sources. (a) Study Source A. What can you learn from this source about income inequality in Singapore? Explain your answer. [5] (b) Study Source B. Why do you think the Prime Minister made this opening remark? Explain your answer. [6] (c) Study Sources C and D. How different are these two sources as evidence about the Singapore government’s efforts to tackle inequality? Explain your answer. [7] (d) Study Source E. How useful i s Source E in telling you about inequality in Singapore? Explain your answer. [7] (e) How far do all the sources in the case study show that the efforts to tackle inequality in Singapore are effective? Explain your answer. [10]

EDG/MYE2019/HUM/4NA/CWE&ANDI 3 How effective are the efforts to tackle inequality in Singapore? BACKGROUND INFORMATION Read this carefully. It may help you to answer some of the questions. In the Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index 2018, Singapore has been ranked 149 out of 157 countries in the world for its efforts to reduce inequality. This report was released by Oxfam, a United Kingdom -based charity organisation dedicated to improving poverty. According to the report, Singapore’s low ranking was due to its harmful tax practices, where the wealthy are undertaxed, an d corporations were encouraged “ to avoid or evade taxes by having very low tax rates or providing tax havens”. Singapore was also identified for its low expenditure on public spending in areas such as education, health and social protection. Such practices are considered detrimental to efforts in tackling inequality in Singapore. The Singapore government has refu ted Oxfam's claims by explaining how Singapore has measures in place to tackle inequality, which do not require high taxes and public spending. Such measures have enabled Singapore to achieve 90 per cent homeownership and the lowest infant mortality rate in the world. Study the following sources to find out h ow effective are the efforts to tackle inequality in Singapore.

EDG/MYE2019/HUM/4NA/CWE&ANDI 4 Source A A comparison of *Gini coefficients of developed countries before and after accounting for taxes and transfers. Taken from the Ministry of Finance, Singapore. *Gini coefficient measures income inequality from zero to one, with zero being most equal. Source B Excerpt of PM Lee’s opening remarks at a post-National Day Rally Dialogue organised by the People’s Associ