China is a vast, disparate country; there is no alternative to strong central power.
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Political reform can occur independently of economic liberalization; success isn't guaranteed by diversity of thought alone.
In this quote, Lee Kuan Yew expresses the idea that political reform does not necessarily require economic liberalization, and he challenges the assumption that a libertarian approach, characterized by a multitude of opinions and ideas, ensures success. Instead, he suggests that the complexities of governance and societal needs may demand a different approach than a solely free-market perspective, emphasizing that mere diversity in thought does not equate to effective results in leadership or governance.
Themes
PoliticsReformEconomicLiberalizationSuccessGovernance
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be referenced in a political debate about the relationship between economic systems and governance styles.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 way you can govern a Chinese society.
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