Book & Author
Tom Plate: Lee Kuan Yew, How to Build A Nation
By Dr Ahmed S. Khan
Chicago, IL
Singapore is an economic success story of the modern era, and the man behind this tremendous success is none other than Lee Kuan Yew (LKY, 1923-2015). But LKY was too humble to take credit for this transformation which he claimed to be an outcome of a team effort. Despite LKY’s leadership triumphs, he was considered to be a controversial figure. In the developing world he was regarded as a visionary who transformed Singapore from a muddy island into a vibrant economic power in just five decades, whereas in the developed world many perceived LKY as an autocrat who has curbed human rights.
LKY was very conscious of the negative perception. In an attempt to project himself as a global leader and to rectify some of the misunderstandings that existed about his policies and his personality, he had agreed to give a two-day interview to the American journalist Tom Plate. The transcript of this interview had been published in a book titled Conversations with Lee Kuan Yew, Citizen Singapore: How to Build a nation, wherein Tom Plate juxtaposes LKY’s candid views on domestic and global issues with historical and political contexts.
The author has painted a picture of LKY as a political genius who believes in pragmatism and common sense rather than ideology. For example, LKY stated, “What is my guiding principle? Presented with the difficulty or major problem or an assortment of conflicting facts, I review what alternatives I have if my proposed solution doesn’t work. I choose a solution which offers a higher probability of success, but if it fails, I have some other way. Never a dead end.”
Comparing the US and the European systems, LKY observed, “In Europe, because the social security net is overgenerous, the workers are not as hard driving, and the economy has become sluggish. The US is at the other end, higher competition with less social support. However, if the Obama administration and Congress move towards the European model of social support, it will lead to a slower and less dynamic American economy.”
The author states that Lee’s founding People’s Action Party (PAP) is semi-Leninist in character. But the central government’s method of control is far more subtle and not remotely as brutal; and it derived accountability from the dramatically positive economic and societal results produced.
LKY considered Richard Nixon as the greatest United States president he had worked with, and Jimmy Carter as the worst American president he had seen [LKY passed away before the start of Trump presidency]. Recalling a meeting with President Nixon, who asked for LKY’s assessment about Chairman Mao Zedong, LKY recounted, “I said that Mao is painting on a mosaic with 5,000 years of history behind the mosaic. He is painting his picture on it. The rains will come. What he’s said will be washed away, what’s been settled for 5,000 years will remain. This is Confucius.”
The author observes that LKY claimed to have played a vital role in transforming China by engaging with Deng Xiaoping (1904-97) and convincing him that a very large idea that only some kind of reformed entrepreneurial capitalism could save China from self-destruction. LKY had realized that the 21 st Century China would be a dominant economic power, so he had developed a long-term economic relationship with China.
LKY greatly admired the role of President Nixon and his national security adviser Henry Kissinger in devising a visionary policy towards China. However, LKY did not mention the role of Pakistan in bringing the US and China closer. LKY appears to claim all the credit for China’s transformation into an economic power.
LKY considered Jimmy Carter as the worst American president he had seen. LKY observed, “Carter. He’s a good God-fearing man. When you are the president of America to ruminate at Camp David, then come down to say Americans were in deep difficulties…No, your job as leader is to inspire and to galvanize, not to share your distraught. You make your people dispirited.”
When asked “Is the second worst that you’ve seen Bush Jr, George?” LKY replied, “I would not put him the second worst. I would say Bush Jr had melancholy advisers…Bush Jr knew he did not have much experience. It is a virtue to know yourself.” LKY admires secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and George Schulz for their comprehensive approach in dealing with issues. However, LKY did not reflect on Mr Kissinger’s role in the illegal and immoral bombing of Cambodia.
Regarding President Obama, LKY observed, “I am not sure whether he [Obama] would produce results, but for sheer ability to put things the way he wants them, the way he feels would go down with the people, with American, he’s got a knack for it.”
Expounding on the form of government LKY says, “Well, I think the presidential system is less likely to produce good government than a parliamentary system.” Furthermore, he observes, “I do not believe that one man, one-vote, in either the US format or the British format or the French format, is the final position. I mean, human society will change over the years with technology, with free travel. The demographics of countries are changing with mixtures of population.”
The author states that LKY is irritated by American diplomatic incompetence. Looking back to 1997, to the Clinton Administration, LKY observes: “I strongly believe that [former US Secretary of State] Madeline Albright and [former Clinton Deputy Treasury Secretary] Larry Summers knew nothing about the history of Indonesia and were wrong in wanting to use the [Asian financial crisis of 1997] crisis to oust Suharto.”
LKY believed that he could not have achieved what he had if he had been in India. LKY observes, “It’s an established ancient civilization…Nehru and Gandhi had a chance because of their enormous prestige, but they couldn’t break the caste system. They could not break the habits.”
Comparing India prime minister Nehru’s obsession with the idea of Soviet central planning…LKY observes, “You see he [Nehru] was stuck on big ideas. He went for ideas. I chase ideas provided they work…he is a man who plays with ideas, you know ‘Non-Aligned Third World,’ not committed to either side when, in fact, he was committed to the Soviet side in the end, because you need advance-technology weaponry, and so he chose to criticize America. He didn’t get on with John Kennedy; you remember the famous interchange; Kennedy showed him how the wealthy lived in America, grand buildings, et cetera, and Nehru was unimpressed. I mean, I would not have been unimpressed! So, he’s a different man, his mental make-up. So, he writes books, he writes beautiful books. He’s an anti-colonist, he’s a freedom fighter, but what do you do with the freedom? What is that your people want? ... Gandhi’s idea was to give them back the village, the spinning wheel. Well, I mean, that’s going to get you nowhere in the Industrial Age.”
Reflecting on his relations with Malaysia and Indonesia, LKY stated, “Both our northern and southern neighbors are much bigger than us. Both have Muslim majorities and are differently organized. Both have not completely accepted their ethnic Chinese citizens…” LKY also reveals his deeply held negative conviction about rural Malays, whom he considers not bred as go-getters.
Discussing the role of an individual in a society, LKY observed, “The Confucianist believes society must take priority and if the individual has to lose, that cannot be helped. But Americans put the rights of the individual above that of society. You just cannot get some problems resolved….” LKY has tried very hard to establish the rule of law and promote racial and ethnic harmony, but despite his efforts any visitor can detect the ethnic undercurrents that exist between the Chinese, Malays and the Tamils.
LKY believed in introspection and admitted, “My faults are many and numerous...” In response to the criticism about his authoritarian style LKY says, “What the Western world leadership does not understand is that at the end of the day, I am not worried by how they judge me. I am worried by how the people I have governed judge me.” LKY is aware of the fact that if Singapore is not attached to forces bigger than Singapore, it will become smaller, could shrink and might even be absorbed by a larger country and thus die. LKY often presents the idea of reuniting with Malaysia to the younger generation.
An interesting read, Conversations with Lee Kuan Yew reveals many known and not-known facets of LKY’s leadership and personality. How will history remember LKY? In this regard, Tom Plate cites Dr Mahathir bin Muhamad, Malaysian Prime Minister (1981-2003 [& 2018-2020]); “He is a big frog in a small pond. He is not satisfied with what he has. He had ambitions to become Prime Minister of all Malaysia…But I think he will go down in history as a very remarkable intellectual and politician at the same time, which is not very often thing.”
(Dr Ahmed S. Khan – dr. a.s.khan@ieee.org – is a Fulbright Specialist Scholar, 2017-2022)
