Lee Kuan Yew: An Analysis of his National Security Strategy and Statecraft.

摘要

As Prime Minister of Singapore from her independence in 1963 to 1990, Lee Kuan Yew carefully crafted a national security strategy that led his country from poverty to plenty. Upon her expulsion from the Federation of Malaysia, Singapore was on an economic par with Chile, Argentina, and Mexico. Today, Singapore's per capita gross national product (GNP) is four to five times that of those countries. It has surpassed Great Britain, its colonizer, in per capita GNP, become the world's busiest port and third-largest oil refiner, and developed into a global center for manufacturing and service industries. Lee's shrewd ability to read Singapore's domestic and international environment and to implement strategies to take advantage of available opportunities was instrumental in moving Singapore from the ranks of the developing nations into an affluent society in one generation. Although he has repeatedly rebuffed the title of 'enlightened dictator,' Lee had virtually total control over the government and guided this miraculous transformation in an authoritarian manner. He was relentless in achieving his goals of establishing a national identity, developing an internationally competitive economy, and molding his people into a properly ordered and ambitious society. By successfully accomplishing these objectives, Singaporeans were bought together as a viable and prosperous nation. Lee's national security strategy, however, did have its negative costs. In particular, freedom of expression and other individual liberties were often subjugated to the advancement of national interests. This paper will analyze how Lee developed and implemented a military, economic, and social strategy to elevate his country to international prominence.