Politics and Economy

Singapore’s parliamentary political system has been dominated by the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) and the family of current prime minister Lee Hsien Loong for decades. The structure of the electoral system limits the growth of opposition parties.

Singapore successfully and rapidly industrialized after independence, raising the standard of living for its citizens. However, despite a growing middle class, the country did not fully democratize. Singapore, like many countries in the region, served to destabilize the theory that capitalistic economic prosperity goes hand in hand with democratic institutions. Rather, it boasts one of the highest GDP per capita’s in the world (just behind the U.S.) and still restricts free and competitive elections.

Demographics and Representation

There are three primary ethnic groups in Singapore: Chinese, Malay, and Indian. The Malay are considered the indigenous residents of the country. The overwhelming majority or the population are of Chinese descent. Some policies have been adopted to try to include the minority groups in government. For example, under a 2016 amendment to the constitution, no single ethnic group may be excluded from the presidency for more than five consecutive terms. However, the Malay remain underrepresented in official positions and government policies, such as the promotion of Mandarin language and the banning of headscarves in public schools, target the Malay minority.

Additionally, there are four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil. English serves as the communal language between the different ethnic groups. To further add to the pluralistic patchwork, there is also religious diversity that does not strictly follow ethnic lines. Among faithful followers, the primary religions are Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.