Singapore
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William Safire and Singapore and Williams College
I noticed today that Williams Safire died. So, perhaps it is an appropriate time to recount the time, twelve years ago, that our paths crossed politically. That crossing was rather unexpected. Safire was, famously, a libertarian, conservative Republican, who had… Continue reading
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Lee Kwan Yew, Legalist Power-Monger Who Distorts Confucianism For His Own Interests
Old man Lee is at it again, trying to rationalize the authoritarian system he created and helps to reproduce in Singapore by invoking Confucius: Embracing Confucian values has enabled Asian countries to build harmonious societies and rapidly grow… Continue reading
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Repeat After Me: It’s Not About Confucianism….
This almost slipped by me: back in early December Time Magazine (Asia edition) ran an interview and profile of our favorite Legalist, Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore. It struck me as an effort to keep him before the… Continue reading
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Oh Mr. Lee, Your Legalism is Showing…
Tin hat dictator Lee Hsien Loong, fronting for his unable-to-let-go-of-power dad, Lee Kuan Yew, is doing his Legalist dance again. They’ve gone and banned the Far Eastern Economic Review for the unacceptable crime of reporting truthfully about opposition… Continue reading
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Singaporean Legalism
A fairly new blog, A Serial Number on my Vote, has a nice post and some good comments that detail the parallels between PAP leadership in Singapore and classical Legalism (hat tip: Singabloodypore). This adds more specifics to… Continue reading
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More Un-Confucianism from Singapore’s Ruling Party
Not so long ago, when Big Daddy Lee called himself "Senior Minister" instead of "Minister Mentor" (or whatever), back when Mini-Lee was still sitting behind Seat Warmer Goh, PAP leaders used to say that they were "Confucian gentlemen,"… Continue reading
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So, Is This A Part of Lee Kuan Yew’s “Asian Values?”
There used to be a time, not too long ago, when the Lees of Singapore tried to position themselves as morally superior to decadent, overly liberal American culture. That was the whole "Asian Values" thing of the 1990s,… Continue reading
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Maybe Papa Lee Should Read Confucius
Emperor Lee (or whatever he is calling himself these days: Prime Minister, Senior Minister, Minister Mentor…) is telling South Korea how to be "a first class country." Singapore Election Watch turns the tables and suggests: Maybe, Mr. Lee… Continue reading
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Update: Gomez Goes Free
So, it turns out, as many of us suspected, there was no case against James Gomez, the Singaporean opposition politician hauled in for police questioning on flimsy charges of "criminal intimidation." He has been freed with no charges… Continue reading
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Communist China: Freer than “Republic” of Singapore?
Daniel A. Bell, an accomplished and careful political theorist, has an article in the most recent issue of Dissent, "Teaching Political Theory in Beijing." He has spent some time in Singapore and makes some interesting comparisons between the… Continue reading
The Useless Tree 