Quora Answer: Why Did Singapore Thrive under an Oppressive Government, Unlike the West?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Why is it that Singapore can thrive under such an oppressive government, when the US and Western nations, could only develop when their people are allowed to express themselves freely?  Do Asian people not share the same ideals of individual liberties?”

Singapore has an authoritarian government.  It does not have an oppressive government.  Regardless of our disagreements with government policy, or elements of the cabinet or legislature, it is extreme hyperbole to claim that the government is oppressive.

It is also untrue that Western nations are liberal.  Consider the US, for example.  Slavery was officially abolished in 1865.  And yet, there are still documented instances of slavery and indentured servitude well into the early 20^th century.  Segregation was only started to end in 1954.  Women were only granted the right to vote in 1920.  As of now, a black man expressing himself in the US may just get shot, and the perpetrator get away with it.  When we consider the income inequality, the crime rate, the institutionalised racism, and the divisive politics, how free from oppression are they?  They still do not have universal healthcare, or a living wage.

The US, and Western Europe, had a few centuries to arrive at where they are now.  That included periods of strife, warfare and everything from feudalism to slavery to genocide.  Singapore only had half a century.  All that considering, we have done well, and we are justifiably proud of ourselves.

Singapore went from developing to developed nation through collective effort, where the needs of the community overrides the needs of the individual.  This meant that we emphasised responsible speech over absolutely free speech for example.  We emphasised responsible access to literature and media for the good of the community.  Some people may claim that we are less free, but the reality is that we are a nation where people are relatively free from poverty, from violent crime, and from inequality.  That is a superior freedom to absolute free speech which propagates hate speech.