Info on Singapore politics?

[Philosophis Pony]

I'm planning to write a book and I needed some info on capitalism in Singapore, first hand info would help or if you know someone who went to Singapore or about the culture and politics/government there.

On a side note what are some good recommendations for books on revolutionary socialism?

[TheGodlessUtopian]

For the revolutionary socialism aspect do you mean its theory or application when it came to various nations?

[ZeroNowhere]

That's a bit of a broad request. What kind of info do you want?

[Philosophis Pony]

I need info on the living conditions of people in Singapore under capitalism. How is the government set up and how does its political system function? and how does its native culture effect the people living there?

(sorry for not being specific in my first post)

and I mean revolutionary socialism as in its application to various nations.

[Zealot]

I lived there for over a year and it's a corrupt capitalist shit. I know a woman who was trafficked in there and forced to work as a prostitute, after a year the case was finally settled and a human-trafficking ring was busted (or not because they simply told her to go back to her country). That didn't make the news but a kid caught stealing bread did. I was appalled at the way she was treated by the police through the whole thing, on top of providing no support they wouldn't even let her go back to her country to attend her mother's funeral when she died.

That's a personal anecdote, and more of a rant, so make of it what you will but what's clear for anyone who goes there is the nature of a place called Geylang. Basically all the minorities, prostitutes, poor and any other undesirables are all (forced) in this area. Now I wouldn't have such a problem (actually I would) if it weren't for them propagating a successful self-image of themselves. Admittedly some of the citizens there are quite successful if you manage to look past the foreign/illegal labour working for chump change.

Their economy seems to be based on shaky foundations so one amazing thing that I'll concede is the way they're managing to pull themselves through this recession.

The "People's Action Party" has been lording it over ever since they got independence and power after kicking leftists and communists out of their party. They later arrested them when they tried to form their own party to contest PAP's power.

Also http://www.mha.gov.sg/isd/ct.htm

So yeah, that's my rant for the day...had to let that out since I just left there so sorry about that.

[Rafiq]

Whoah. JRA fucked shit up. Good for them

[Red Commissar]

Out of curiosity, what is Singapore's relationship to the PRC and the RoC/Taiwan? Considering the demographics of Singapore as they are, or at least those in control of much of the major businesses and politics, they would have to take a stance in this regard.

[Rafiq]

I believe Singapore has always had good relations with the PRC. I could be wrong, though.

[Smyg]

China, People's Republic of

On 3 October 1990, the People's Republic and Singapore established formal diplomatic relations. Since then, the two countries have had significantly an improved relationship. The governments of the two countries have tried to cooperate more closely in the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China-Singapore_Suzhou_Industrial_Park) and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Singapore_Tianjin_Eco-city).

On 19 September 2005, Vice Premier Wu Yi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Yi) of the People's Republic of China (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China) arrived in Singapore for a three-day visit. She led a delegation of ministers and senior officials at the 2nd Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation between the PRC and Singapore.[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Singapore#cite_note-5)[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Singapore#cite_note-6)

On 14 November 2010, Vice President Xi Jinping visited Singapore on a three day visit which affirmed Singapore's strong ties with China. His visit also commemorated with the 20th year anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Singapore#cite_note-7)

Other examples of close ties between Singapore and China include Singapore helping China to build up its industries such as the Suzhou Industrial Park (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzhou_Industrial_Park). Singaporeans have also donated generously in the aftermath of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Sichuan_earthquake).

Since 17 April 2011 Chinese and Singaporean diplomatic, official and official ordinary passport holders able to enjoy 30-day transit visa-free service for entering each others country. [9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Singapore#cite_note-8)



China, Republic of (Taiwan)

When Singapore established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1990, Singapore wanted to maintain its good relationship with Taiwan and it strongly bargained with China to maintain the close links. Eventually, China did not force Singapore to denounce the Republic of China and it allowed low-level visits between the two. Moreover, Taiwan's trade mission in Singapore was renamed from "Trade Mission of the Republic of China" to "Taipei Representative Office in Singapore." This did not mean, however, that Singapore switched its recognition from Taiwan to China because it had not maintained diplomatic relations with either government. [10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Singapore#cite_note-9)

Moreover, Singaporean troops continue to train in Taiwan, an arrangement which has been in place since the 1970s. This is, however, a diplomatically delicate situation which has flared up occasionally.

A severe diplomatic row broke out between the PRC and Singapore when Lee Hsien Loong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Hsien_Loong) visited Taiwan a month before being sworn-in as the Prime Minister of Singapore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Singapore) on 12 August 2004.[11] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Singapore#cite_note-10) Factions in the Taiwanese media took the opportunity to highlight and publicize his visit, although the Singapore government emphasized that it was a private visit by Lee to familiarize himself with the latest developments there.
When Singapore started building its military in the 1970s, the Republic of China on Taiwan was one of the few places to offer assistance by providing training areas to the Singapore Armed Forces (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Armed_Forces) (SAF) for conducting military exercises.

This assistance is valuable as Singapore is a land-scarce country consisting mainly of built-up areas. This arrangement continues today and is an important aspect of the relationship between Singapore and the ROC, although the two places do not conduct joint military exercise nor is there any official military alliance. SAF troops do not train together with Taiwanese soldiers and pays for the logistics and supplies consumed by the training troops.

On 22 March 2005, however, the Singaporean defence ministry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Defence_(Singapore)) had to quickly correct an erroneous report in the Liberty Times (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Times) on a joint military exercise between Singapore and Taiwan,[12] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Singapore#cite_note-11)

This report caused the PRC government to demand an explanation. Singapore denied the report, while the ROC government refused to comment.

The PRC has continuously advocated the possibility of moving some or all of these military facilities to Hainan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan), although this may not be taken up due to sensitivities in diplomatic relations between Singapore and her largely Islamic neighbours.[13] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Singapore#cite_note-12)[14] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Singapore#cite_note-13)


From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Singapore. Excuse the unremoved links and references.