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Power and Populism: What the Singapore Model Means for the Chinese Dream

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2018

Benjamin Tze Ern Ho
Benjamin Tze Ern Ho*
Affiliation:
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore. Email: isteho@ntu.edu.sg.
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Abstract

Singapore's political system is sometimes criticized by proponents of liberal democracy as being highly authoritarian and inhibiting of individual freedom. Yet, as the recent 2015 general elections show, Singaporeans have largely consented to such a model as a legitimate social contract between themselves and the government. Given that the Singapore model is widely studied by Chinese officials as a positive pattern for governance, what do the latest results say about the future of the Chinese governing system, and to what extent is the Communist Party able to wield power while catering to populist sentiments, in particular the achievement of the Chinese dream?

摘要

新加坡政治体系时而被自由民主的学家指责为独裁制度, 约束了人民的自由主权。然而在 2015 年的国家大选, 大部分新加坡国民对这一种社会契约表示赞同。由于新加坡模式受了许多中国官员的广泛研究作为优越的治理模式, 因此我们如何看待中国治理系统的未来成果?共产党能否同时持守权利, 同时符合人民的要求, 以至于实现中国梦?

Keywords

SingaporeChinapopulismChinese Dream新加坡模式中国梦李光耀治国系统
Type
Research Article
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 236 , December 2018 , pp. 968 - 987
Copyright
Copyright © SOAS University of London 2018 

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