Singapore Prime Minister Li Xianlong will officially give the Prime Minister Huang Xuncai on May 15th.This also means that Li Xianlong will unload the post of prime minister for 20 years, and Singapore ushered in the new prime minister and new era.
Looking back at the 20 years when Li Xianlong has served as the Prime Minister, Singapore's internal affairs, diplomacy and social conditions can be summarized with "steady forward".Compared with Lee Kuan Yew leading the Singaporean people, the blue strands of the road, walking over from internal and external problems, and achieved great achievements in economic and people's livelihood, Li Xianlong led the new generation of Singaporeans to consolidate and develop the achievements of Singapore in the 21st century.Looking back, it is even more prosperous.When Li Xianlong took over, Singapore was already a developed economy, but it has been able to maintain rapid growth for a long time, which is quite difficult.
Li Xianlong's achievements are not only in the field of economic and people's livelihood.In terms of politics and civil rights, compared to the background of internal and external problems in Li Guangyao, he adopted very measure and restricted opposition to more severe laws. After Li Xianlong was in power, he treated non -ruling people to be gentle and tolerant.The political reform opened during the period of Wu Zuodong was retained and developed in the era of Li Xianlong, and citizens had more freedom to express.For example, the expression of political objections in Fanglin Park was effectively guaranteed.Political opposition is restricted, and it is even more competitive in Congress elections.
In addition, in the era of women, children, sexual minorities (LGBT), and disabled people, the era of Li Xianlong also made significant progress.In 2022, Singapore abolished the ban on the violations of men's behavior (although Singapore had been in a state of mind).In terms of the right to deal with women, children, and disabled people in Singapore, it is different from the bottom -up and aggressive ways of the West with the bottom -up and aggressive way of citizenship.And special protection to protect.For example, the behavior of disabled people who have lack of resistance, clearly aggravate the punishment.The punishment of rape women is often sentenced to 13 years and above, which has strongly observed sexual crimes.
These achievements are not easy.Of course, in the eyes of some people who are familiar with Western competitive politics, Singapore's civil society in Singapore is insufficient, political diversity is poor, and less independent civil organizations.
These evaluations make sense from one side.But from another perspective, this exactly reflects the stable political ecology and order of Singapore.
The fundamental purpose of democratic society
Whether it is democratic politics or a civic society, the fundamental purpose of operation should be for the benefits of the people, not "politics for politics" and "opposition for opposition".Regardless of Europe and the United States or Asia -Africa and Latin, the majority of political confrontations are more intense than Singapore, but few do better than Singapore in civil rights and people's livelihood.On the contrary, all kinds of malignant political competition dragged down the extension of citizenship rights and the improvement of people's livelihood, and society was torn.
During the period of Li Guangyao, Wu Zuodong, or Li Xianlong, Singapore uses controllable and pragmatic democratic politics to ensure the order of social stability and political competition in politics.As a former member of Congress said, "the preciousness of the Singapore Congress debate is to allow people to maintain rationality in fierce political disputes" (the idea is the same).Not only the Congress debate, but also the background of the national politics of Singapore, but also a diverse competition and a peaceful and orderly.
As mentioned earlier, in the period of Li Xianlong's diversity and tolerance, it has made greater progress than before.The ruling party did not chase the opponents because of controlling power.On the contrary, from Lee Kuan Yew to Li Xianlong, they all reserved the seats of the "non -election parliament" of Congress for the opposition to ensure the existence and sound of the opposition in Congress, and the supervision and spur of the ruling party.
Faced with the problem of ethnic conflict that is very difficult in many countries, from the age of Lee Kuan Yew to the Li Xianlong government, through a series of system design, including the quota of the parliamentary groups, mixed residences in various communities, combat extreme speech, and terrorismThe prevention of prevention and occurrence has successfully maintained the harmonious and social stability of the Singapore ethnic group.This is very difficult.From Europe and the United States to Asia -Africa and Latin, racial conflicts and even bloody civil war can be seen everywhere. Singapore's achievements in maintaining ethnic harmony are even more fortunate and admirable.
Democratic diversity and stability and orderly balance
Facts have proved that political design and models such as Singapore have successfully made a balance between the diversity and stability of political democracy and stability (although slightly more stable), which is the political basis for the sustainable economic and social development and progress.
In the past, the author favored the democratic politics of competition and confrontation, and supported the participation of the wild forces and the public.However, with the increase in experience, seeing the various disadvantages brought by populism, the tragedy of many countries / ethnic groups in history in internal and external problems, and the importance of safety and stability is more recognized.The author also gradually understands that if the economic and people's livelihood has not developed, democratic politics is also unstable and low -quality and inefficient.
It has a small land like Singapore and the identity of mainstream ethnic groups in neighboring countries. It is also a national community that is also composed of multiple ethnic groups. Survival and stability are particularly important. Survival itself is the first priority of Singapore.In such an environment, chasing some fine branches of democratic politics over emphasis on the competition and diversity of politics, consumes a lot of material and energy in political struggles, is obviously unwise or even dangerous.
From Li Guangyao to Wu Zuodong, to Li Xianlong, and a new generation of governors represented by Huang Xuncai, choosing the path of stable politics, prospering the economy, and rule of law is the most in line with Singapore's national conditions and has been tested in practice.
The preaching of the Prime Minister also reflects the stable update of the political team in Singapore.No matter how long the ability and achievement, there are old and time when they come to retire.The rapid development of the times must also be connected to the newcomers of the same period to allow the ruling team to advance with the times and walk with the times.The rapid retreat of the older generation of leaders is also the best choice for preservation festival.The steady alternation of power is also "no" to the monopoly of power.
Li Xianlong will serve as a state -owned administration, and can continue to use rich political experience and influence to make the leadership team rotate more stable and the development of Singapore is more continuous.Earlier, from Li Guangyao to Wu Zuodong, from Wu Zuodong to Li Xianlong, the same way of making greatness has been successful, and this time will not be an exception.
Such a class mode is not only necessary and valuable to Singapore, but also worthy of the reference and follow -up of many countries in the world.In particular, the Singapore model is worthy of reference to countries and leaders who need to renew the governance team, keep pace with the times, and ensure the stability of the regime, and let the retired people play their heat.Establishing a benign power transfer mechanism is not only conducive to the national and ethnic groups, but also the leaders themselves.
Not only does the handover, many political characteristics in Singapore are worthy of references from countries in the world, especially those with similar ideas, culture, historical traditions, and part of the modification according to their own national conditions.Stable democracy, peaceful competition, and rational debate are all valuable and are scarce in this world.East Asian Confucian civilization has the most social and cultural conditions, but it is also necessary to take the initiative to choose by governors from all countries.It is hoped that Singapore's model will be understood and reference by governors, intellectuals, and people in more countries.
The author is a writer in Europe, international political researcher
