Y2 History Notes (Singapore, An Accidental Nation)

Singapore, anAccidental nation What doesacountryneedtosurvive?1)Natural Resources2)Leadership3)UnitedPeople4)Defence5)ForeignInvestment strength/weakness/opportunity/threatModernDayNatural ResourcesKeychallenge Nonatural resourcesDeepnatural harbour/port[Canalsobeopportunity] LeadershipAlwaysacausefor concern. GoverningpartywithamajorityLeaderswithsharedgoal andvisionExamples: LeeKuanYew, GohKengSwee,TohChinChye, SRajaratnam[politicalleaders]Businessleaders: (LeeKongChien, etc.) UnitedPeopleBetter thanthepast but still workinprogress Nationof migrants-different races, religion,languages,culture,etc.Attract tradersfromdifferent placesspeakingthoselanguagesor practisingthereligionsRacial tensions-thismight beacatalyst forconflicts. Social cohesionisaproblemCommunicationbarrier-leadtoconflict aspeopledonot haveacommonlanguageAttract tradersfromdifferent placesspeakingthoselanguagesor practisingthereligions.Thiscanhelptoboost economicgrowthApossiblethreat couldbemigrantsinfluencinglocalswithradicalideas/communism(Threat tonational safety) DefenceImproved:)small but potent NodefenceforcePotential militarythreatLearnt fromIsrael (small countriessurroundedbyother bigger territories.) ForeignInvestment(Singapore´sreputationandcredentials)Extremelywell :DDDDDSingapore-Worldśmost competitiveeconomy Dependent onentrepot trade. Needtobuildupour manufacturingandfinancial industries. Campaigns(Mr LeeKuanYew)

-Savingwater-Englishasthemainmodeof communication(Childrenhadtotakeup1of 3languages:Chinese, Malayor Indianasamother tongue)-Anti-corruption-River cleanup 2keytopics1) ChallengesfacingSingaporepost independence2) HowSingaporeaddressedandovercamethesechallenges. Thefirst stepfor nationbuildinginSingaporewastosurvive.SingaporesecuredNatural resourceswithother countries-Eg. Water Agreement withMalaysiaHowever, Singaporecouldnot just dependonMalaysiafor theresources.Thestakeswereveryhighandit wasoneshot at successfor leadersof Singaporeafterindependence.What isSingapore´srelevance?Needtoconstantlythinkabout whereour valueisat. 3challengesthat Singaporefacedright afterindependence:1. Defence2. Economy3. Political Stability/Livelihoods/housing ForgingtheSingaporeanIdentityPsychological challenge?Moreimportant problemsbackthen, that neededtobesolvedtoensurethesurvival of thenation. WheredoesforgingtheSingaporeanIdentityfit ininour list of priorities.¨Existential crisis¨->crucial tosurvival KeyobstaclesinbuildingaSingaporeanidentityduringtheearlyyearsofindependence:-Racial tensionsFragilesocial fabriccouldbestrainedeasily. Aracial riot tookplaceon31May1969, theInternal SecurityDepartment steppedintoquashtheconflictstogether withthepoliceandethnictensionsremainedhighintheyearstocome. -AyoungnationTheknownhistoryof Singaporedatedbackto1819. However, national historywasfirst writtenin1980

-LittlesharedexperienceDivideandruleduringBritishrule-different communitiesdidnot sharesimilar experiencesthatbondedthem. Short 3yearsof JapaneseOccupationdrewthepeopletogether andprovidedasharedexperience. But after theoccupation? Identity:Senseof communitySharedexperiencesCollectivememorybindsustogether Effortsput intobuildanidentity:Solution-UnityindiversityDualidentity:Ethnicidentity-thedifferentracesNationalidentity-beingSingaporeBuildasocietywithoutethnicenclaves Understandthat theSingaporeidentityisdynamic! 26/07/2021EthnicEnclavesWhenRafflescametoSingapore, hemadetheRafflesTownplanwhichsegregatedthecommunityintodifferent groups(different raceslivedindifferent places)However, theideaof ethnicenclavesisnot applicableinmoderndaySingaporeduetothesmalllandsizeandSingaporebeingamultiracial society Examplesof Government policestoencourageSingaporeidentity/multiracialism:HousingEthnicIntegrationPolicy(EIP)TheEIPisput inplacetopreserveSingapore’smulti-cultural identityandpromoteracialintegrationandharmony. It ensuresthat thereisabalancedmixof thevariousethniccommunitiesinHDBtowns. TheEIPlimitsareset at block/ neighbourhoodlevelsbasedontheethnicmake-upof Singapore.For thepurchaseof anHDBflat, ahouseholdwithmembersof different ethnicgroupscanchoosetoclassifytheir householdethnicityunder theethnicgroupof anyowner or spouse(co-owner or occupier), accordingtotheraceshownontheNRICof thechosenmember.Onceanethnicityischosenfor thehousehold, it will remainthesamewhentheflat ownerssubsequentlysell their flat ontheopenmarket.(source:HDBflats) EducationNational schoolswherestudentsof different racesstudytogether(withtheexceptionof SAPschools)

Purposeof suchpolicies: TobreakupethnicenclavesandencouragethediversepeopleofSingaporetointeract withoneanother. Thisfacilitatedthegrowthof aharmoniouscommunity. Introductionof National Servicefor defenceInstill asenseof loyaltyintheyoungmenof Singapore. Annual National DayCelebrations(adisplayof patriotism)BringSingaporeanstogether tocelebratesuccess. Ethnicenclave ¨EconomicChallengesandhowSingaporeovercamethem¨1. Manufacturing2. Infrastructure3. Tourism+FinanceIndustries Consider thequestion: WhydidSingaporesucceedwhereothershave´failed´?