China is a vast, disparate country; there is no alternative to strong central power.
Lee Kuan YewRead
Supposing Catherine Lim was writing about me and not the prime minister... She would not dare, right? Because my posture, my response has been such that nobody doubts that if you take me on, I will put on knuckle-dusters and catch you in a cul de sac... Anybody who decides to take me on needs to put on knuckle dusters. If you think you can hurt me more than I can hurt you, try. There is no other way you can govern a Chinese society.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of strength and assertiveness in governance, particularly in a Chinese societal context.
In this quote, Lee Kuan Yew reflects on the necessity of showing formidable strength and determination when it comes to leadership, especially within the complexities of Chinese society. He suggests that to govern effectively, one must make it clear that any challenge to authority will be met with forceful resistance. The metaphor of 'knuckle-dusters' signifies a readiness to defend one’s position vigorously, indicating that leadership requires both respect and fear to maintain order and control.
Themes
LeadershipStrengthAuthorityGovernanceChinese Society
In practice
Example use cases
During a political debate, one could use this quote to illustrate the need for strong leadership in challenging environments.
More from Lee Kuan Yew
All quotes →I can feel the gradual decline of energy and vitality. And I mean generally, every year, when you know you are not on the same level as last year. But that's life.
Lee Kuan YewRead
Political reform need not go hand in hand with economic liberalization.. I hold unconventional views about this.. I do not believe if you are a libertarian, full of diverse opinions, full of competing ideas in the market place, full of sound and fury, therefore you will succeed.
Lee Kuan YewRead
The human being is an unequal creature. That is a fact. And we start off with the proposition. All the great religions, all the great movements, all the great political ideology, say let us make the human being as equal as possible. In fact, he is not equal, never will be.
Lee Kuan YewRead
They say, oh, let’s have multiparty politics. Let’s have different parties change and be in charge of the Government. Is it that simple? You vote in a Division Three government, not a Division One government, and the whole economy will just subside within three, four years. Finished.
Lee Kuan YewRead
America's greatest long-term influence on China comes from playing host to the thousands of students who come from China each year, some of the ablest Chinese scholars and scientists. They will be the most powerful agents for change in China.
Lee Kuan YewRead
Similar quotes
If I stumbled badly in doing the job, I think it would have made life more difficult for women, and that was a great concern of mine and still is.
Sandra Day O'ConnorRead
Your most precious possession is not your financial assets. Your most precious possession is the people you have working there, and what they carry around in their heads, and their ability to work together.
Robert ReichRead
My mother was the strong wife, partner, and co-worker Martin Luther King, Jr. needed to be an effective leader, and he said so on many occasions.
Bernice KingRead
I had always enjoyed the title of Commander-in-Chief until I was informed ... that the only forces that cannot be transferred from Washington without my express permission are the members of the Marine Corps Band. Those are the only forces I have. I want it announced that we propose to hold the White House against all odds at least for some time to come.
John F. KennedyRead
It's not that there are no masters, but that there are many. And the job of the solicitor general is to balance those masters and to accommodate them all, each in their proper places, wisely and well and in so doing to represent the people of the United States.
Elena KaganRead
Most politicians are not authentic.
Simon SinekRead