Western models are not useless. For example, the United States absorb various talents from all over the world and let them take their own strengths to play their strengths. It is worth our learning.This so -called "Hai Naibaichuan, there is a big one."As for their party confrontation, racial discrimination, drug flooding, guns, market failures, social tearing, etc., they can also be used as negative textbooks.
Graham Allison, a professor at Harvard's Kennedy Government College, recently published an article on US foreign policy, entitled what to learn from Singapore?EssenceAfter reading the full text, I found that the professor did not give a clear answer to the questions he asked. Instead, he euphemistically describing the results achieved by Singapore's governance methods, and asked people to reflect on the conditions required by the government to play a role.
In all fairness, the country's national conditions are different. Singapore and Western countries are also very different in terms of culture and history. Besides, Singapore is just a small red dot on the map, which cannot be compared with other countries.The professor may really feel that Western countries can learn something from Singapore, but in the end, they dare not make a claim, and make any specific suggestions.
But in terms of the overall political perspective of Western countries today, the government's operation does have a big problem.This article mentioned that the United States seems to be a lot of problems, and it is difficult to serve as democratic models.When asked if the US government operates well, most Americans' answers are negative.Iron quoted the following survey data: 1. According to the recent public opinion survey of Yipuso, the international market research institution, more than two -thirds of the American adults believe that the country is moving towards the wrong direction.2. Gallop's report said that only 26%of people are confident in major American institutions such as presidents, the Supreme Court and Congress.Nearly half of Americans aged 18 to 25 believe that democracy or dictatorship "no difference", or "dictatorship may be good in some cases."
Another group of survey data quoted by Aireson highlights the results achieved in all aspects of Singapore's governance methods.This includes: the growth of the GDP, the longer life expectancy of the per capita GDP, the ability to cope with the major public health crisis, the effectiveness of educational, controlling corruption, political stability and good business environment, and so on.
In comparison, Singapore's governance methods seem to have a lot of advantages and outstanding results.However, the professor still caught a "painful foot".He said that Singaporeans exercise their political rights much less.According to the human rights observation organization, Singapore's "political environment is still extremely depressed."Freedom home only listed Singapore as "partial freedom" and only scored 48 points (full scores of 100 points); in terms of discourse rights and accountability, the World Bank only listed Singapore as the 44th percentage of all countries in the world in the world.EssenceThe right to speak and accountability "reflects how much a country can participate in the selection of the government, as well as freedom of speech, freedom of association, and media freedom."In the United States and the United Kingdom, these numbers are much higher, sometimes twice as high as Singapore.
This is a difficult for Westerners to change, or it is already a solid thinking.In their minds, freedom and democracy can only be based on the Western people.Using this standard to measure, Singapore is neither free nor democratic.Therefore, Singapore has not been invited to participate in the US -led Democratic Summit in the past few years.This one alone is actually enough to let Westerners deny Singapore's governance model.Therefore, it is impossible for Westerners to learn from Singapore's governance experience.In fact, the West cannot implement the governance model of Singapore, mainly because of the fundamental differences.Here you may talk about two points.One is the view of governance, and the other is the view of social discipline.
The so -called governance here refers to those who are responsible for governing the country, such as the governance of the "worker governing the person, the labor of the laborer".National governance is the same as corporate governance. To a large extent, it is a governance. If even people can't control it, what national governance is talked about?Westerners, especially Americans, are skeptical of the government.Therefore, they advocate the so -called small government and large society, the less the government controls, so that the civilians or individuals can have full freedom, seek the life they want, and the free market can play the greatest role.
The idea derived from this is more important than the system than the governance. As long as there is a good system, it doesn't matter who is the government, because the system itself will have the function of correction.For example, the wrong person in this election, the next election can be selected back to a good one.It turns out that this is too naive and romantic.The biggest advantage of the democratic system is that you can change the government without having to cut people, but you cannot ensure that the election must produce a good government or an outstanding leader.The actual situation is mostly the governments.Some people just sarcastic this year's Seventh Kingdom Group (G7) summit.Six of the seven men are crumbling leaders, only Italian female prime minister leads the show, and the market market looks.
The problem of Western is too superstition system and the role of the so -called free market.We often say that the system is dead, people are alive, no matter how good the system is, it still has to be operated by others. People who have no competent or capable people operate, and it is difficult for any system to play a role.Today, the politics of Western political parties is so chaotic. Many politicians fight in the field of power and live on political meals.They may be good at playing politics, but most of them lack the ability to govern the country.As a result of the flooding of politicians in the political circle, the phenomenon of inferior coins expelled good coins.Talented people would rather stay in private companies and not want to follow politics.Most people lose confidence in politics without reason.
Secondly, the free market that has been in office has also been offset over time. Under the law of the jungle, large capital devour small capital, control and even monopolize the market.In the United States, freedom to let go has also led to the emergence of many vested interest groups. It not only controls the market, but also buy politicians to serve them and talk to them in Congress, collusion with power and money.British Financial Times commentator Martin Wolf is reasonable. Today, free democracy and market capitalism are ill.People lose confidence in the ability and integrity of political elites, which will inevitably lose trust in the rationality of democracy.The governance of the country is not for the people of the people, but for a handful of insiders who know about inside and closely.This small number of people seized the biggest benefit, and when the problem appeared, everyone had to share the loss.(See the Book of Crisis of Democratic Capitalism)
Singapore believes in talent governing the country. A basic concept of governing the country is that the concept of governing the country must be selected and appointed. Political elites must have a certain ability to govern the country.With a capable person in the reign, politics can be done well.Although the system is important, it can prevent people's faults, but it is only important to use it.Secondly, it is also important to maintain the integrity of politics.With capable talents and capable governments, and the government that can work and clean can govern the country.
In terms of social discipline, Western countries and us are also incompatible.We believe that every society must have a certain discipline, and certain behavioral norms.Therefore, such as drugs, guns, etc. must be strictly controlled, and the assembly parade must also receive a permit in advance. The false news full of networks must also be controlled.
These seem to be the norm that restrict personal rights and freedom, but it is actually the need to maintain social order and discipline.As a result, we have good public security, and various crimes and drug hazards are effectively controlled.There is no absolute freedom in the world.A person lives on an island, maybe there is such freedom.However, Western society is extreme. Therefore, the personal freedom of letting go has also brought serious social problems such as drugs and firearms.It seems impossible to go back to a society like the United States, and it is even more impossible to transplant Singapore's governance model.
What we should know is that Singapore's governance model is effective so far, this model is in line with our national conditions.But we should not swell ourselves. As a small country, we are still modest and learn more.The Western model is not useless. For example, the United States absorb various talents from all over the world and let them play their strengths at each other, which is worth our learning.This so -called "Hai Naibaichuan, there is a big one."As for their party confrontation, racial discrimination, drug flooding, guns, market failures, social tearing, etc., they can also be used as negative textbooks.
The author is a former journalist, a former member of the Congress
