The Singapore Miracle: Myth and Reality - Paperback

by Rodney King (Author)

Singapore's economic miracle has been sold as a great success story to the world. This bustling city-state has been billed as a highly competitive, cutting-edge society where efficiency reigns. Singapore is regularly ranked as one of the world's most competitive, economically free and transparent states and a first class venue for global business. Singapore is also seen as a developed and wealthy country that has delivered a secure an affluent lifestyle for its citizens equal to anything in the West. The island's per capita income matches that of most Western countries and its housing, health and retirement schemes are widely praised. Such claims are rigorously examined in The Singapore Miracle, Myth and Reality. How much are they myth and how much reality? Do they give Singapore the right to see itself as a role model for developing countries? Or is the Singapore model severely flawed? Could Singapore become another Japan? The book considers all these questions.

Author Biography

Having lived and worked in Singapore for ten years Australian writer and ex-journalist Rodney King has been able to observe this bustling city-state and its people at close hand. His lived experience of Singapore made him to question many of its nation-building claims and prompted him to write The Singapore Miracle, Myth and Reality. He was tired of reading accounts condemning Singapore's authoritarian rule while mostly ignoring its equally dubious assertions about being a super-efficient cutting-edge society that had delivered the good life to the average Singaporean. His extensive experience of Singapore often showed the opposite. Predictably his criticisms of Singapore have evoked strong reactions from Singaporeans especially. While some have praised King others have vilified him. Pro-government bloggers regularly snipe at him calling him by such terms as "white trash". The Singapore government though has not officially reacted to his writings. He was allowed back into Singapore in November 2008 after the first edition of the book had appeared which was only sold in about three of the island's bookstores. No other bookshops would sell it. However, no Singaporean bookshop at all dares to sell King's book of satirical cartoons of its founding leader Lee Kuan Yew (Harry Lee Kuan Yew - A Pictorial Account of His Life and Times). Perhaps that's understandable. While alive Lee hated being laughed at and took strong action against cartoonists who tried to ridicule him or his government. King felt though that Lee and his son Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore's current prime minister, were long overdue for some lampooning. Other books written by King are Armed Revolution (1990) and Your Guide to Investment Trading, with Special Reference to Singapore and Malaysia (1996 and 1998)