6/01/2008

Rule less, do more

The MOE has this brilliant concept of teaching less and learning more. Can this same concept be applied in the current state of our national development? After 40 years of rapid growth in all areas, except the political system, are our people matured enough, educated enough, to be ruled less and be freer to do and live a freer life on their own? Or are we still in the same state of enlightenment as the Middle Ages when the people were still made up of the ignorant masses and needed to be ruled with an iron fist? Are we progressing or regressing? Looking at some young upstarts who have never been concerned about the people's well being except how to make their first million and telling the people about life and nation is quite creepy. As we continue to brag about how advanced and progressive we are, how knowledgeable and wealthy we are in the pocket and in the head, which I believe is true relatively to our past, it is time to change the mindset of the rulers to lead instead of to rule. Or what we are experiencing today is actually an advanced stage of ruling less?

4 comments:

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Free people do not need to be ruled.

Mature men and women who are capable of looking after themselves and thinking for themselves do not need to be "led", like SHEEP.

The country need to be GOVERNED, by rule of law.

So:

Don't rule -- unless the people are serfs
Lead Less -- slowly withdraw into the background
Govern just enough, and no more

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

actually cannot. despite the high educational standard and the abundance of talents, singaporeans are bred to be led. without a leader, without rulers, without rules, singaporeans will be dead lost.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Alot of people hold that view, even Lee Kuan Yew.

I however tend to disagree. There are enough private sector cosmopolitans around who will do a great job in keeping the country in order, purely by entrepreneurship, and thus encourage the general masses to be self-governed.

Of course this won't happen overnight. It could take decades. But I believe it is possible.

A large govt is unnecessary. S'pore is a small island -- all it needs is a mayor and a local city council.

Anonymous said...

Compared to, say, Indonesia where earthquakes happen almost every day, Singapore is really a piece of cake to govern and develop. On top of that we are just lucky to be sited at the croosroads of air and sea traffic.

Just talking about size alone, the Johore IDR is about twice the size of Singapore and that is just one region of Malaysia slated for development. So, despite their perceived backwardness compared to us, you have to appreciate and understand the magnitude of their problems be it development or administration.