political system of singapore
Political System According to Quah as cited in Funston:
“Controlled democracy” – “a republic with a parliamentary system of government based on the British Westminster model, but which has been adopted to suit the local conditions”.
Three important differences between the Singaporean and British parliamentary systems: (1) Singapore has a written constitution; (2) Singapore has a unicameral legislature; and (3) Singapore is not a monarchy.
Head of State – President elected by the citizens of Singapore for a term of six years and is no longer a symbolic figure.
Head of Government – Prime Minister appointed by the President on the basis of majority vote in Parliament
According to Kim as cited in Quah:
Singapore’s political system can be described as a mixture of parliamentary democracy, multiracial polity, and mixed-economy state.
Multiracial polity – multiracialism is another feature of Singapore’s political system.
Accommodation rather than assimilation and the careful and sensible policies pursued by both the British and PAP administrations have mainly contributed to the preservation of racial harmony.
PAP realized that national unity would be impossible to achieve without the strong support of the Malay-and the other communities in Singapore.
A Modern, Mixed Economy – Singapore is a new state with a new society and its political system is modern and secular. Why: (1) Singapore is the only city-state in the region which has an almost non-existent indigenous population as most of the people were migrant origin; (2) It has the most developed entrepot trade city in SEA with no agrarian hinterland; (3) Chinese form the majority and where by implication a strong managerial class has evolved; and (4) It has the highest literacy rate.
Electoral System
Compulsory Voting
Singapore adopted the British electoral system of “first past the post”.
Two goals of having a compulsory voting: (1) to overcome the problem of apathetic electorate;
“Controlled democracy” – “a republic with a parliamentary system of government based on the British Westminster model, but which has been adopted to suit the local conditions”.
Three important differences between the Singaporean and British parliamentary systems: (1) Singapore has a written constitution; (2) Singapore has a unicameral legislature; and (3) Singapore is not a monarchy.
Head of State – President elected by the citizens of Singapore for a term of six years and is no longer a symbolic figure.
Head of Government – Prime Minister appointed by the President on the basis of majority vote in Parliament
According to Kim as cited in Quah:
Singapore’s political system can be described as a mixture of parliamentary democracy, multiracial polity, and mixed-economy state.
Multiracial polity – multiracialism is another feature of Singapore’s political system.
Accommodation rather than assimilation and the careful and sensible policies pursued by both the British and PAP administrations have mainly contributed to the preservation of racial harmony.
PAP realized that national unity would be impossible to achieve without the strong support of the Malay-and the other communities in Singapore.
A Modern, Mixed Economy – Singapore is a new state with a new society and its political system is modern and secular. Why: (1) Singapore is the only city-state in the region which has an almost non-existent indigenous population as most of the people were migrant origin; (2) It has the most developed entrepot trade city in SEA with no agrarian hinterland; (3) Chinese form the majority and where by implication a strong managerial class has evolved; and (4) It has the highest literacy rate.
Electoral System
Compulsory Voting
Singapore adopted the British electoral system of “first past the post”.
Two goals of having a compulsory voting: (1) to overcome the problem of apathetic electorate;