Human Rights Video Project

Human Rights Video Project

Autocratic democracy worked, but will it continue to work?

ST Forum online

2nd Feb 2007

I refer to the article 'Singapore's style of government delivers the goods' (Online forum, Jan 31) by Reza Shifdar Buang. In the article, the writer defends the Singapore Government's adoption of autocratic democracy as producing efficient and effective results.

I agree that liberal democracy is merely one of the many types of political systems that exist. Singapore should not follow Western liberal democracy blindly without having regard to local customs. The Singapore Government has strived to fine-tune policies to suit the distinct needs of Singaporeans. It has developed a form of paternalistic, often described as autocratic, governance which it feels is best suited for society. This has yielded excellent economic results, responsible for the rising standard of living.

Having regard to Singapore's historical context and how the Government came into power, it is understandable that between the competing national interests of economic progress and protection of political liberty, the Government chose the former. As a young nation, Singapore needed strong and fast reforms to curb racial and communist threats. Autocratic democracy and communitarian policies were perhaps the best ways of dealing with the needs of Singapore at that time. For example, it is perfectly reasonable that, unlike Malaysians, Singaporeans do not have a constitutional right to property. It was a necessity to leave that particular right out of Singapore's Constitution because of fears of excessive litigation in the midst of large-scale land acquisition for development. This is especially so because of Singapore's small land size.

However, as the standard of living in Singapore improves dramatically over the past few decades, it appears that the Government's stance in politics has remained stagnant. Undoubtedly, the form of autocratic democracy that the Government has adopted has, up till now, yielded excellent economic results.

Nevertheless, as the electorate matures and Singapore reaches the level of an economically developed country, it is necessary to evaluate whether the current political stance of Singapore continues to serve the needs of society. For example, should Singapore continue to subordinate individual fundamental rights to communitarian values? Should the Government continue to be allowed to act without the checks and balances usually present in a Western democracy?

Without answering these questions, it might be increasingly difficult for the Government to convince the electorate that an autocratic democracy is the best political system for Singapore. To merely gain legitimacy from past economic performance will hardly suffice.

Simply put - autocratic democracy worked, but will it continue to work?

Adrienne Ng Qian Wen (Ms

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