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Can Singapore Survive?
This book poses the question that Singaporeans must wrestle with: can we survive as an independent city-state? Kishore Mahbubani believes that Singaporeans must always ask the question because constant reflection and self-examination should be a part of the core DNA of all Singaporeans. His goal in this book is to create and enhance this culture of reflection among all Singaporeans.
He gives three answers in this book: Yes, No & Maybe.
With these three answers, he attempts to sketch three different scenarios for Singapore’s future. There is logic behind this, as we cannot predict the future. We can, however, prepare for the future by telling stories about what the future could be like.
Besides his substantive Introduction, this book offers some of Kishore’s best essays on Singapore, taken from his Think-Tank and Opinion columns in The Straits Times, as well as contributions to Guardian News, The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, Davos World Economic Forum’s Forum News Daily, and the “Innovations for Successful Societies” Oral History Project of Princeton University.
He gives three answers in this book: Yes, No & Maybe.
With these three answers, he attempts to sketch three different scenarios for Singapore’s future. There is logic behind this, as we cannot predict the future. We can, however, prepare for the future by telling stories about what the future could be like.
Besides his substantive Introduction, this book offers some of Kishore’s best essays on Singapore, taken from his Think-Tank and Opinion columns in The Straits Times, as well as contributions to Guardian News, The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, Davos World Economic Forum’s Forum News Daily, and the “Innovations for Successful Societies” Oral History Project of Princeton University.
- GenresAsiaNonfiction
280 pages, Hardcover
First published March 16, 2015
23 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Kishore Mahbubani
31 books332 followersKishore Mahbubani (born 24 October 1948) is a Singaporean academic and former diplomat. He is currently Professor in the Practice of Public Policy at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore.
From 1971 to 2004 he served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was Singapore's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. In that role, he served as President of the United Nations Security Council in January 2001 and May 2002.
On 6 November 2017, Mahbubani announced that he would retire from the position as Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School at the end of 2017.
From 1971 to 2004 he served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was Singapore's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. In that role, he served as President of the United Nations Security Council in January 2001 and May 2002.
On 6 November 2017, Mahbubani announced that he would retire from the position as Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School at the end of 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 27, 2024
Man, I love Singapore, despite the complaints that it’s gotten more crowded, expensive and hot in the previous 2 years.
Why: When I saw that this book was priced at $38 at Popular, a quick Google search revealed that copies of it were available at the nearest regional library. This public library was spread out over 4 floors, had courses on computer literacy for retirees, an indoor playground for children, a coworking space for adults, and lots of seating areas for students. The library had also recently relaxed its rules on drinking not-water indoors, with the typical careful boundaries and instructions.
On to this book: it had very convincing first few chapters, but 30% in and you could see the author Mahbubani was repeating the same ideas ad nauseam. Rather than being an incisive collection of essays talking about Singapore’s future, it was a collection of past speeches he did, which (a) had a lot of repeating ideas and (b) too many rhetorical flourishes that work well for speeches but not for reading. The compilation felt sloppy and I felt the essays could be reduced by 50%. Less pontificating of the 3 Ms or the amazing founding fathers of Singapore or the electrification of our transport fleet please, and more on ASEAN and speaking Bahasa Melayu, which I found interesting.
I resonated with the online criticism of Mahbubani’s writing. He’s incredibly un-nuanced and proposes ideas so simple to complex problems that I’m incredulous he’s had the resume he’s had — examples are saying the British police force isn’t competent simply because the policemen are “fatter” than ours, saying the appearance of a “beggar” meant all was not well with Singapore’s ecosystem, and the solution to palm oil burning is simply education; how about poverty, power and village networks? Mahbubani also seems out of touch with the everyman today; just because he came from humble beginnings (which he reminds you a few times in his speeches) doesn’t mean he sounds very out of touch with the populace now.
However there is merit in reading this book despite its pro-establishment views and its broad strokes. I draw a parallel to a tweet that put 2 books side by side: What they teach you at Harvard Business School and What they don’t teach you at Harvard Business School as the sum total of human knowledge. I would read this book in conjunction with books by younger writers, published by Epigram or Ethos Books, to get a more balanced viewpoint… after all I wouldn’t trust Mahbubani over Teo You Yenn as an expert on poverty in Singapore.
Excerpts:
“You know the Singaporean. He is a hardworking, industrious, rugged individual. But let us also recognise that he is a champion grumbler.”
Singapore's condition can be defined with three phrases beginning with the letter E: exceptional success, existential angst and extraordinary possibilities. A quick glance at these threes phrases will draw out the paradoxical condition of Singapore. […] We have a population that lives in "existential angst" about the natural vulnerabilities in Singapore. Yet this population also lives within the domain of one of the strongest and most high-performing states of the world.
The evidence for existential angst about the future among the population of Singapore is abundant. For example, in the 2020 World Happiness Report, Singapore ranks 31st globally. It also ranks 34th in "life evaluation" and 34th in "social support", 19th in "freedom" and 24th in "generosity".
This is in spite of Singapore ranking 2nd globally in log GDP per capita, 1st in healthy life expectancy, and ist in absence of corruption. The dramatic contradiction between the relative state of the material and spiritual wellbeing of Singaporeans is quite dramatic.
“So anxiety is understandable, anxiety is even constructive, up to a point, even some paranoia is helpful - because as Andy Grove says, only the paranoid survive. And it can keep you on your toes - it is like the anxiety you feel before you go on stage to perform. But it should not lead to paralysis or despondency. We need to be both paranoid and at the same time paradoxically confident.”
The drafters of the Universal Declaration were obsessed with limiting the impact of the State upon the individual. This led the drafters to speak only of the rights and not of the responsibilities of individuals. The word "responsibility" is not mentioned once in the Declaration, although the word "duties" is used once in article 29. The pursuit of "rights" over "responsibilities" has led, in some Western societies, to a culture of permissiveness and social problems which are viewed with some concern by more traditional societies. Each society has to find its right balance of rights and responsibilities.
Why: When I saw that this book was priced at $38 at Popular, a quick Google search revealed that copies of it were available at the nearest regional library. This public library was spread out over 4 floors, had courses on computer literacy for retirees, an indoor playground for children, a coworking space for adults, and lots of seating areas for students. The library had also recently relaxed its rules on drinking not-water indoors, with the typical careful boundaries and instructions.
On to this book: it had very convincing first few chapters, but 30% in and you could see the author Mahbubani was repeating the same ideas ad nauseam. Rather than being an incisive collection of essays talking about Singapore’s future, it was a collection of past speeches he did, which (a) had a lot of repeating ideas and (b) too many rhetorical flourishes that work well for speeches but not for reading. The compilation felt sloppy and I felt the essays could be reduced by 50%. Less pontificating of the 3 Ms or the amazing founding fathers of Singapore or the electrification of our transport fleet please, and more on ASEAN and speaking Bahasa Melayu, which I found interesting.
I resonated with the online criticism of Mahbubani’s writing. He’s incredibly un-nuanced and proposes ideas so simple to complex problems that I’m incredulous he’s had the resume he’s had — examples are saying the British police force isn’t competent simply because the policemen are “fatter” than ours, saying the appearance of a “beggar” meant all was not well with Singapore’s ecosystem, and the solution to palm oil burning is simply education; how about poverty, power and village networks? Mahbubani also seems out of touch with the everyman today; just because he came from humble beginnings (which he reminds you a few times in his speeches) doesn’t mean he sounds very out of touch with the populace now.
However there is merit in reading this book despite its pro-establishment views and its broad strokes. I draw a parallel to a tweet that put 2 books side by side: What they teach you at Harvard Business School and What they don’t teach you at Harvard Business School as the sum total of human knowledge. I would read this book in conjunction with books by younger writers, published by Epigram or Ethos Books, to get a more balanced viewpoint… after all I wouldn’t trust Mahbubani over Teo You Yenn as an expert on poverty in Singapore.
Excerpts:
“You know the Singaporean. He is a hardworking, industrious, rugged individual. But let us also recognise that he is a champion grumbler.”
Singapore's condition can be defined with three phrases beginning with the letter E: exceptional success, existential angst and extraordinary possibilities. A quick glance at these threes phrases will draw out the paradoxical condition of Singapore. […] We have a population that lives in "existential angst" about the natural vulnerabilities in Singapore. Yet this population also lives within the domain of one of the strongest and most high-performing states of the world.
The evidence for existential angst about the future among the population of Singapore is abundant. For example, in the 2020 World Happiness Report, Singapore ranks 31st globally. It also ranks 34th in "life evaluation" and 34th in "social support", 19th in "freedom" and 24th in "generosity".
This is in spite of Singapore ranking 2nd globally in log GDP per capita, 1st in healthy life expectancy, and ist in absence of corruption. The dramatic contradiction between the relative state of the material and spiritual wellbeing of Singaporeans is quite dramatic.
“So anxiety is understandable, anxiety is even constructive, up to a point, even some paranoia is helpful - because as Andy Grove says, only the paranoid survive. And it can keep you on your toes - it is like the anxiety you feel before you go on stage to perform. But it should not lead to paralysis or despondency. We need to be both paranoid and at the same time paradoxically confident.”
The drafters of the Universal Declaration were obsessed with limiting the impact of the State upon the individual. This led the drafters to speak only of the rights and not of the responsibilities of individuals. The word "responsibility" is not mentioned once in the Declaration, although the word "duties" is used once in article 29. The pursuit of "rights" over "responsibilities" has led, in some Western societies, to a culture of permissiveness and social problems which are viewed with some concern by more traditional societies. Each society has to find its right balance of rights and responsibilities.
April 17, 2016
Great at prompting you to think about Singapore's future. The breadth and depth of discussion may however be quite limited - it is for the reader to decide what to make of it, and where to go on from there.
Also, as mentioned by other reviewers, some articles can cover similar content, so skim over these. In addition, the recency of issues discussed and solutions presented is a problem.
Also, as mentioned by other reviewers, some articles can cover similar content, so skim over these. In addition, the recency of issues discussed and solutions presented is a problem.
May 7, 2021
Читання збірки інтелектуальних есеїв це зазвичай дуже приємно, але автор сприймає успіх державного управління як заслугу політичних діячів. Хоча якщо подумати, то успіху всіх азійських тигрів посприяли об'єктивні географічні обставини .
May 5, 2022
Some of the essays are really really good. Most are super repetitive after a while tho. It is like reading the same essay twice!
May 1, 2023
Can Singapore Survive?
As a Singaporean, it is a read that narrates Singapore’s journey from what it was to what it is today, and where it can possibly journey towards. It gives me hope in our future, and yet at the same time, reminds us not to be too complacent. After painting the success factors of our nation, and illuminating the possibilities and potential of the ASEAN region, the author has placed the three possible answers to his book title: Yes, No, Maybe. The answers to our future is not determined yet, as it really depends on what we will do, where we will move towards, and how we intend to. The book covers a range of topics: politics, housing, education and even the cultural and values identity of Singapore. It is rather an easy read, just that many of the letters to the different embassies etc. that he has written were rather repetitive and kept appearing in the different chapters.
As a Singaporean, it is a read that narrates Singapore’s journey from what it was to what it is today, and where it can possibly journey towards. It gives me hope in our future, and yet at the same time, reminds us not to be too complacent. After painting the success factors of our nation, and illuminating the possibilities and potential of the ASEAN region, the author has placed the three possible answers to his book title: Yes, No, Maybe. The answers to our future is not determined yet, as it really depends on what we will do, where we will move towards, and how we intend to. The book covers a range of topics: politics, housing, education and even the cultural and values identity of Singapore. It is rather an easy read, just that many of the letters to the different embassies etc. that he has written were rather repetitive and kept appearing in the different chapters.
December 25, 2024
A book filled with insights and erudition from many years of diplomacy, but also peppered with contradictions in the book. I learnt many things about the importance of ASEAN towards Singapore’s economy but also found faults in many sections of the book.
Several sections about Singapore’s founding fathers were repeated ad nauseam; as much as it is impressive and important to acknowledge their successes and foresight, this emphasis is done too often. At other times, the propositions can sound overly simplistic or idealistic: some of the predicted benefits of a car-lite/car-free Singapore are probably practically true. But proposing this as a path towards buttressing our national identity sounded rather questionable.
Several sections about Singapore’s founding fathers were repeated ad nauseam; as much as it is impressive and important to acknowledge their successes and foresight, this emphasis is done too often. At other times, the propositions can sound overly simplistic or idealistic: some of the predicted benefits of a car-lite/car-free Singapore are probably practically true. But proposing this as a path towards buttressing our national identity sounded rather questionable.
September 9, 2021
Always a fan of Kishore's provocative words. Pretty interesting how his vision of an electric-car filled Singapore is coming to fruition. Also I find his discussion on national identity pretty interesting as well.
Some ideas are pretty BS, but there is certainly something invigorating and thought provoking about his ideas.
Some ideas are pretty BS, but there is certainly something invigorating and thought provoking about his ideas.
December 23, 2022
horrible just horrible. I just read the second edition. This is NOT a book. It’s a bunch of interview transcripts and newspaper articles put together in a paperback. Don’t waste your time. to sum it up. I gotta give credit to the idea of the book. But don’t call it a book without a coherent argument which builds upon previous points.
February 14, 2022
A warning to the future generation to not squander away the capital our ancestors have accumulated and to accept that Singapore is the best place in the future as it is culturally both America and China at once.
September 5, 2017
Well written and informative, but heavily biased.
August 30, 2025
Got this from LKY orientation
July 12, 2016
Thought-provoking, with several good ideas. However it gets very repetitive as it is a collection of essays / Straits Times opinion pieces / speeches from Mahbubani's time in the foreign service, as opposed to a homogenous book. Thus if you consume this in a single sitting (like I did), you'll likely get sick of seeing the same tired old examples, which I can by now recite off the top of my head - (1) Singapore has more biodiversity than all of the US despite its tiny size (2) Singapore is the only multi-racial/ethnic country to have survived without major ethnic strife post-colonialisation, faring better than Cyprus, Sri Lanka, etc (3) etc etc
Overall the idea of the book is better than the book itself
Overall the idea of the book is better than the book itself
February 15, 2016
It's definitely a good book for getting some perspective, however, a lot of ideas and information are outdated because the essays are all from earlier publications in the Straits Times (2009-2015). Mahbubani also used a lot of ideas and quotes repeatedly in the different essays, which made reading the book a little repetitive.
I also found it unpleasant to read his sweeping claims, such as, "Singapore is one of the greenest, if not the greenest, city in the world."
The book would be more enjoyable had it been updated, instead of being taken wholesale from the articles previously published in the Straits Times.
I also found it unpleasant to read his sweeping claims, such as, "Singapore is one of the greenest, if not the greenest, city in the world."
The book would be more enjoyable had it been updated, instead of being taken wholesale from the articles previously published in the Straits Times.
April 10, 2015
Written in an academic point of view. This book is provocative as it provide detailed analysis of the foreseeable future, big ideas and interesting solution to problems of the future. Though his points are not always agreeable, the thought provoking factor of the book made it worth reading
November 15, 2015
Save your money.. leave this book in the shelf. Terribly repetitive and the author seems to have not more than a handful of ideas which he repeats, letter after letter. i expected more. ..i am very dissapointed.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews