Political Meritocracy in Singapore

Abstract

The PAP (People's Action Party) government has ruled Singapore since its independence in 1965. Power has been concentrated in the hands of a small group of men who have governed the country in an authoritarian and paternalistic manner. Hailed as a model of the developmental state, Singapore today is one of the most advanced and richest countries in the world. Although the state lacks conventional institutions of check and balances, the government is widely admired for its integrity and efficiency. Singapore ranks consistently high among the least corrupt countries of the world on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) and the World Bank's control of corruption governance indicator. Moreover, in the Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum, Singapore has also been consistent in being at the top in terms of public sector competence as well as public trust in politicians’ honesty. The performance record of the PAP government is far from perfect. But Singaporeans today are enjoying increasing personal as well as political freedoms. There is now less fear of the government and more open criticisms of it. The government in turn appears to be more responsive to public grievances. The PAP government could be held as a model of political meritocracy understood as a form of government whose leaders are selected on the basis of their character and abilities. Singapore, moreover, is distinguished by the fact that meritocracy has been institutionalized as a fundamental principle of governance. It is perhaps the only country in the world that applies meritocracy “rigorously and consistently” to its entire political leadership. The government places great emphasis on talent as it believes that “the single decisive factor that made for Singapore's development was the ability of its ministers and the high quality of its civil servants who supported them.”