Kishore Mahbubani Become a fan Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

Posted: 08/04/2015 3:19 pm EDT Updated: 08/04/2015 3:59 pm EDT

Why Singapore Is the World's Most Successful Society

SINGAPORE -- Singapore turns 50 on Aug. 9, 2015. Is Singapore the most successful society since human history began? Or, to put itdifferently, did Singapore improve the living standards of its people faster and more comprehensively than any other society?

The only way to answer these questions is with empirical data. The most basic needs of any human being are food, shelter, health, educationand employment. Did Singapore improve the delivery of those basic needs faster than any other society?

When Singapore was expelled from Malaysia in 1965 and thrust into an unwanted independence, it was a typical Third World country. Itsper capita income of $500 was the same as Ghana's then. It was not desperately poor, but it had malnutrition. I know this personally as Iwas put on a special feeding program when I joined school in the first grade, drinking milk from a pail with a ladle shared by other children.

Table 1: Comparison of real GDP per capita *Using constant 2005 USD

This malnutrition disappeared quickly. Singapore's per capita income has shot from $500 to $55,000 today, the largest increase any newlyindependent nation has enjoyed. This spectacular economic success story of Singapore is clearly amazing. Yet, when I was Singapore'sambassador to the UN in the 1980s, the then head of UNICEF, the American James Grant, used to chide me for speaking about it.

Table 2: Percent increase in real GDP from year listed to 2014

*Using constant 2005 USD

He told me that Singapore's success in another area was even more spectacular. We had reduced our infant mortality faster than any othersociety, going down from 35 per 1,000 live births in 1965 to 10.90 in 1985. James Grant was right. Babies are the most vulnerable membersof any society. When they live instead of dying, they reflect an improving social ecosystem that keeps them alive.

The babies who lived in Singapore went on to enjoy one of the best education systems in the world. The OECD ranked 15-year-oldSingaporean children number one in the world in a recent global ranking of "Universal Basic Skills" in mathematics and science. Singaporestudents also topped the OECD PISA problem solving test in 2012.

“From the Singapore with slums that I grew up in, we now have the highesthome ownership of any country in the world, with 90 percent of residentsliving in homes they own.

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There are many other areas where Singapore's social standards top the charts. From the Singapore with slums that I grew up in, we nowhave the highest home ownership of any country in the world, with 90 percent of residents living in homes they own. Even amongsthouseholds in the lowest 20 percent of incomes, over 80 percent own their own homes. Rapidly rising salaries and strong compulsory savingschemes, through the Central Provident Fund, led to this incredibly high home ownership.

So why did Singapore succeed so comprehensively? The simple answer is exceptional leadership. Many in the world have heard of Mr. LeeKuan Yew, the founding prime minister who passed away in March this year. Far fewer have heard of Dr. Goh Keng Swee, the architect ofSingapore's economic miracle, and Mr. S. Rajaratnam, Singapore's philosopher par excellence.

Together, they made a great team.

This exceptional team also implemented three exceptional policies: Meritocracy, Pragmatism and Honesty. Indeed, I share this "secret"MPH formula with every foreign student at the Lee Kuan Yew School, and I assure them that if they implement it, their country will succeedas well as Singapore. Meritocracy means a country picks its best citizens, not the relatives of the ruling class, to run a country. Pragmatismmeans that a country does not try to reinvent the wheel. As Dr. Goh Keng Swee would say to me, "Kishore, no matter what problemSingapore encounters, somebody, somewhere, has solved it. Let us copy the solution and adapt it to Singapore." Copying best practices issomething any country can do. However, implementing "Honesty" is the hardest thing to do. Corruption is the single biggest reason whymost Third World countries have failed. The greatest strength of Singapore's founding fathers was that they were ruthlessly honest. It also

helped that they were exceptionally shrewd and cunning.

Still, Singapore has its fair share of detractors. Its political system was widely viewed as being an "enlightened dictatorship," even thoughfree elections have been held every five years. Its media is widely perceived to be controlled by the government and Singapore is rankednumber 153 out of 180 by Reporters Without Borders in 2015 on the Press Freedom Index. Many human rights organizations criticize it.Freedom House ranks Singapore as "partially free."

Undoubtedly, some of these criticisms have some validity. Yet, the Singapore population is one of the best educated populations and, hence,globally mobile. They could vote with their feet if Singapore were a stifling "un-free" society. Most choose to stay. Equally importantly, someof the most talented people in the world, including Americans and Europeans, are giving up their citizenship to become Singapore citizens.Maybe they have noticed something that the Western media has not noticed: Singapore is one of the best places to be born in and to live in.Quite amazingly, a society destined to fail in 1965 has become one of the world's greatest success stories.

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“Singapore's success is due to MPH: Meritocracy, Pragmatism and Honesty

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1 of 18 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Singapore

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Nayana RenuKumar ∙ Harvard Kennedy SchoolI am not sure about you, but there is one need which is most basic to people likeme from 'less successful societies". We call it the freedom to speak, write, liveand die as we choose; you call it "some criticisms that have some validity".

I don't aim to steal focus away from the stupendous success that Singapore hasachieved. The entire world admires this small island nation for its inventivenessand diligence over the years.

But I would expect much more from the head of Singapore's foremost publicpolicy institute than simplistic statements such as "all you need is an MPHformula to... See More

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 22 ∙ Aug 5, 2015 5:07am

Dominique Leehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPHSXUS0_1c

Here's what US freedom and democracy does for them.

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 8 ∙ Aug 5, 2015 10:42am

Lionel Lye ∙ Teacher at Ministry of Education, SingaporeI don't think the writer glossed over the issues with freedom anddemocracy that you mention; in fact, he states upfront the variousfreedom indicators that Singapore doesn't do well in. If I have to takeissue, it may instead be with the premise that hard indicators are all thatis to evaluating a country's success.

As for your desire to enshrine the freedom to "speak, write, live and dieas we choose" as the "most basic" need, I'm pretty sure that somepeople's choices will impinge on others', and in the process limit thelatter's own freedom and democracy. Whither the role of the state intoday's world then? Whose freedom and democracy is the mostprecious then?

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 8 ∙ Aug 6, 2015 3:37pm

Michael H Reinhard ∙ Senior Trader at VitolYes, because who needs paved roads, clean drinking water, reliableelectricty, and order when you have all this "freedom". I am sure theslum dweller in India pefer deficating in the street as opposed to anactual toliet; you know, because they have "freedom".

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 12 ∙ Aug 6, 2015 4:02pm

Show 4 more replies in this thread

Benjamin Tan WeiYangIs economic progress alone the only pinnacle of a society's success? were thereother costs to that progress?

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 7 ∙ Aug 5, 2015 12:42am

Ste Te ∙ SingaporeYou mean there is a country that progresses without any form of cost?

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 13 ∙ Aug 5, 2015 2:16am

Benjamin Tan WeiYangAre you saying that all types and extents of costs are acceptable aslong as economic progress strictly in term of per captia GDP isachieved?

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 5 ∙ Aug 5, 2015 2:20am

Kelvin Ho ∙ University of Southern Queensland AustraliaOf course in any kind of pursuit for a particular success there will besacrifices involved for sure ...no doubt about that . that's basicLike ∙ Reply ∙ Aug 6, 2015 10:15pm

Daniel GohUsing gdp per capita is not the way to measure successfulness of a nation.Income inequality here is high. Gdp per capita may be $55000 but medianincome is only $33500 which is a high gap. Plus Singapore has a small

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income is only $33500 which is a high gap. Plus Singapore has a smallpopulation, so it is naturally high.

We don't own our homes. It is a 99 year old lease from the govt.

We definitely score well in health statistics but let's not kid ourselves regardingour successfulness l.

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 6 ∙ Aug 5, 2015 8:35am

Kelvin Ho ∙ University of Southern Queensland Australiayou are enlighteneedLike ∙ Reply ∙ Aug 6, 2015 10:16pm

Danny Lee ∙ Senior Advisor to the Chairman at ChinaAsean BusinessAssociationWe don't own our homes? You forgot that tou get to pocket the profitswhen you sell your flat, and you're free to do what you like with it,including buying a bigger home in another country if you choose to doso.Like ∙ Reply ∙ Aug 11, 2015 10:51pm

Wayne IllesWhat a wonderful totally unbiased article! A shining example of what a one partysystem can accomplish! Sinaporeans can vote with their feet but they can't voteat the voting booth.....The fact that you agree that Singapore is classified as"partially free," that says it all.....

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 3 ∙ Aug 4, 2015 3:45pm

Bob Seifert ∙ United States Air Force AcademyWhat a wonderfully totally unbiased response! A shining example ofwhat a close minded person can say in response to an overall positivestory.

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 12 ∙ Aug 4, 2015 4:22pm

Tom W Sjoberg ∙ The University of ArizonaAnd what do we Americans do with our freedom? We spend more percapita on healthcare than anyone else, with poorer outcomes. And wetolerate frequent and routine mass murders as if there's nothing to bedone about it. With freedom comes heavy responsiblity, and that's whatwe've been avoiding. And the whole world knows it.

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 21 ∙ Aug 4, 2015 4:39pm

River BirchAre you related to Donald Trump?Like ∙ Reply ∙ Aug 4, 2015 4:51pm

Show 3 more replies in this thread

Karen HofstetterIt shows what people working for the good of all.America working for the good of a few. See the difference

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 2 ∙ Aug 4, 2015 5:40pm

Michael Turton ∙ Works at Arkham Institute for the Insane asjanitor/necromancerHahaha. Thanks for this humor piece. I am sure this writer will have a longcareer as an Establishment "thinker" writing paeans to authoritarianism. TomFriedman! Watch out! The competition is heating up!

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 1 ∙ Aug 6, 2015 5:25am

Stephan R. Győry ∙ University of SydneyCould it be that singapores a tax haven?

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 1 ∙ Aug 4, 2015 7:32pm

Stephan R. Győry ∙ University of SydneySingapore's. Huffpo y u no let me edit on iPhone ???

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 1 ∙ Aug 4, 2015 7:33pm

Ste Te ∙ SingaporeList of tax havens and countries of financial secrecy1. Switzerland (FSI 1765,2)2. Luxembourg (FSI 1454,4)3. Hong Kong (FSI 1283,4)

3. Hong Kong (FSI 1283,4)4. Cayman Islands (FSI 1233,5)5. Singapore (FSI 1216,8)6. United States (Mainland) (FSI 1212,9)7. Lebanon (FSI 747,8)8. Germany (FSI 738,3)

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 4 ∙ Aug 5, 2015 2:18am

Kelvin Ho ∙ University of Southern Queensland AustraliaNo way Singapore is a tax havenLike ∙ Reply ∙ Aug 6, 2015 10:18pm

Toby Chapman ∙ The University of British Columbia (UBC)Singapore is notoriously the most unhappy society where they flog people forpractically everything.

I'm sure Sauron would approve. I don't.

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 1 ∙ Aug 8, 2015 2:41am

Ste Te ∙ SingaporeYeah. I wonder why so many people from the international societycomes to Singapore to be flogged. Singapore is not safe for you. Stayaway.

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 7 ∙ Aug 8, 2015 1:25pm

Danny Lee ∙ Senior Advisor to the Chairman at ChinaAsean BusinessAssociationSte Te Indeed! And many happily bring their families here tio be floggedtoo. Notoriously unhappy too@! haha.Like ∙ Reply ∙ Aug 11, 2015 10:53pm

Lisa EckertI know that noncitizens cannot buy property in Singapore. Do they limitimmigration?

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 1 ∙ Aug 4, 2015 5:41pm

Michael Tjin ∙ Musician at FreelancerIncreasingly, yes. Many Singaporeans are growing quite discomfortableof the liberal government policies that allowed a sharp influx offoreigners without:

1) expanding the infrastructure faster (or, at least, as quickly)2) imposing a rigourous criteria for immigration/work permits3) adopting policies that would give greater benefits to citizens

Unfortunately, the lack of the three abovementioned policies has let toa severe case of overcrowding in Singapore. The government has beentrying to make policy changes to rectify this issue, but it's not beensucceeding well enough; many Singaporeans are slowly gettingdisenchanted with the prospects of staying here, and the best peopleare slowly immigrating out of the country to other places that wouldvalue them, even if it means settling for a lower qualityoflife amissother issues.

So yes, not everything is rosy in the best in the world either

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 4 ∙ Aug 4, 2015 11:24pm

Iris Tay ∙ Raffles Girls' SchoolForeigners can buy condominiums. They need permission to buyhousesLike ∙ Reply ∙ Aug 5, 2015 1:04am

Ste Te ∙ SingaporeMichael Tjin Cheer Up. Just look at Malaysia.

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 1 ∙ Aug 5, 2015 2:30am

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Nancy M. Mitchell ∙ Owner at Mitchell & Associates PAYeah, but they do flog people for throwing gum on the sidewalk.Like ∙ Reply ∙ Aug 6, 2015 8:56pm

Ste Te ∙ SingaporeNope. We fine them first. Maybe after the 50th time after fines. Yeah.

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We flog them. HARD.

Like ∙ Reply ∙ 5 ∙ Aug 8, 2015 1:28pm

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