Bernard Leong wrote a very interesting piece about Singapore’s progress towards the First World. And, he outlined some characteristics which he thought represents what it means to be in the First World. I quote his opinion on the politics in a First World country.

The real issue is that when you are in a first world country, you always hear all different points of views. One political party gains power and starts to undo the other’s legacy. So, in the end, political ideologies trump over public policies. Although it might not be as efficient as others, at least the politicians have to learn how to humble themselves to convince others to agree with them.

I agree fully with Bernard’s opinion. Even the wackos get their say in first world countries. True, it is not time-efficient to listen to the opinions of wackos. But therein lies the rub. How do we know they are wackos? Could the “wackos” actually be geniuses in disguise, just that the majority has yet to acquire the capability of understanding what they are talking about? Many great people have been thought to be wackos at some point in their life, such as Thomas Edison, Christopher Columbus, Galileo etc.

Politically, I think that it is important for diversity of opinions. Government policies are usually not made for the short term. As such, the effects of policies are usually felt some time down the road, and if it turns out to be a wrong move, the cost of repairing the damange is usually very high. This is why it is important to hear as many different views as possible, and to actually account for such views in decision making.

Singapore’s political situation is in such a way that one party dominates the scene. This is not a bad thing in the sense that it allows the Singapore government to respond more quickly, and much more efficiently compared to other countries. However, this very strength could turn out to be Singapore’s own undoing, especially if the wrong policies were executed very efficiently.

For example, Singapore’s rapid population growth, which has been projected to reach 6.5 million in 2030 is a policy that will have disasterous effect if it goes wrong. Most of the growth is being fuelled by immigration, rather than natural population increase. And, a large proportion of the immigrants are well-educated and mobile individuals. Imagine if Singapore invests in all the infrastructure for 6.5 million population and halfway, another country offers a sweeter deal that Singapore cannot match, resulting in an exodus of immigrants from Singapore. I don’t even dare to imagine what will happen to the different markets in Singapore.

I am aware that the PAP dominated Singapore government does its homework before embarking on any major policy. But the possibility of groupthink is very real. A bunch of highly intelligent policy makers might not be able to escape the effect of groupthink. Therefore, it’s perhaps wiser to have a divided political system where no party is dominant. No doubt that it’s less efficient to try and convince another party, and to make some concessions in the process. However, a highway to heaven can also be a highway to hell. I rather have multiple road blocks in between, which may slow down the journey, but at least the stops can allow me some time to think through things a little bit more. Perhaps roadblocks are a necessary evil.