Comments on: Mr Lee and Mr Chee agreed to have a fight

By: Raghuveer

Raghuveer — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:12:58 +0000

Atanu,

What would be interesting is to talk about why personal freedom and the like that LKY suppressed is at odds with development. Sure, we all know about the cost of democracy but do you think there are more?

By: lurker

lurker — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:56:16 +0000

If it is the alleviation of hunger that justifies the curb of free expression, then I am sure that Singapore is paying rather a heavy price now. I think, Singapore would have solved the hunger problem with the help of LKY’s leadership alone without his dictatorship.

Atanu, I wonder how can you still give the man a clean chit when he has shown every sign ( not only visible, but sublime, blatant) of nepotism and what not. He is the grand Minister Mentor ( super-PM, anyone??), his eldest son is the PM, his daughter-in-law is the head of the biggest investment company that virtually controls every investment of the government, hin younger son is the head of the nation’s biggest corporate!!! And I dont really remember which other posts his family occpies but am sure these are the rest of the important posts in that nation.

Going by your own post, where you described it is the power that corrupts and in this case the man’s greed in holding up every powerful position, it is dificult to all he got is altruistic intention!!

-Dodo

By: Notsure

Notsure — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:49:45 +0000

I was never a LKY fan nor did i ever like singapore’s culture.
Its the culture that matters, individuals rise up as leaders or are put aside b/c of the culture of the place. and its Singapores culture that brought up LKY, A man who wants dynastic rule in singapore.
I can discuss this on and on about its dirty history its plans to have a government subsidized strip clubs for us soldiers during vietnam war.
The long and short of it Singapore doesnt have in aggregate much to teach the world. Its only reason for a short flame blip in world history was b/c of reaction to coloniasm that the world was going through as well as a reason for Great Britain to not let that place be part of malaysia,
All those forces are for the most part gone and newer forces are at play. and in the long run singapore wouldnt matter. They can subsidize all the cronies they want for Biotech, Nano tech, shittech but nothings going to come out, b/c the process is all about croniesm and nepotism and greater issues like passion towards what you work on is missing.

By: lurker

lurker — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:45:58 +0000

America is one of the best countries in the world. Why? Because, it has always acted in the interest of American citizens, rest of the world be damned. I think the government of every country has a primary responsibility of guarding the self interest of its OWN citizens.

People blaming the USA conveniently forget its constant endeavour to act in favor of its own citizens. If it is killing people in the middle east to secure oil for its citizens, where is the harm?

If a leader makes policies for the maximum benefits of Indians, I would vote him to power. Non-Indians should be treated as second class citizens. Hell, they are not citizens and should not have any rights in India at all, if that is in the best interest of India’s citizens. It is not that way because we need legal immigration, technology etc. from the outside world!

But to that extent, India has been extremely pathetic, allowing hordes of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants at tremendous costs to INDIAN CITIZENS!

-Mayuresh Gaikwad

By: pankaj

pankaj — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 03:21:15 +0000

Blaming America is very easy,India and others messed up countries of the world are in a mess not because of usa but because of their own foolish policies.While not being exactly pro American ,america is a thousand times better than any country u name in the world.America is high handed,but it is charitable and ethical.World without usa will fall into anarchy and chaos.Had it not been for usa we would not be blogging.

By: kaunteya

kaunteya — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:34:28 +0000

@Amit: You have a point.

Constant “criticism” of one country troubles me most.

America is “bad” compared to which country? Russia, China, UK, France,Canada,Cuba,Sri Lanka, India?

I find hard to keep criticizing America on the day Barak Hussein Obama gets to be on the verge of being President.

It’s tough for me not to see how USA is in more than one ways helping my own country’s economy and also lot of others including Chinas.

My problem is with the limousine socialists of this world. The lecturebaazes. who i usually find more on the left.

By: Amit

Amit — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:53:34 +0000

Correction. That should read:
“You are seemingly making the mistake that criticism of what you love is the same as calling it evil.”

By: Amit

Amit — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:51:32 +0000

But in what sense is there freedom if one is starving?

Were the South Koreans starving when your idol assumed power? Has the political freedom for citizens increased after SK became economically independent and achieved its goals, or has it remained the same? These are the questions I’d ask.

You’ll make a very good politician my friend.

====

The ‘every rich person is bad, everything powerful is evil’ syndrome is what it is. So America being both rich and powerful is evil by default.

kaunteya, I don’t know about your “liberal” friends’ thinking, but in a democracy, there’s accountability. Holding elected people in power accountable for their decisions, and speaking out about that does not make America evil. You are seemingly making the mistake that criticism of what you love is not the same as hatred. Just like any other country, America has its faults and strengths. Maybe your friends are focused only on the faults whereas you probably are focused only on the strengths. The truth lies somewhere in-between.

By: kaunteya

kaunteya — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:09:22 +0000

Brilliant.
The Chee guy does not appreciate what he has and looks for what he does not.

I usually tell my “liberal” American friends to stop whining about America. They don’t appreciate what they have and the false romaticism of third world and their pseudo leaders appeal them.

The ‘evey rich person is bad, everything powerful is evil’ syndrome is what it is. So America being both rich and powerful is evil by default.