Structured-Essay Question
Revision
Factor questions
Note: All answers for SS and Hist
Can be downloaded from Historic Times
Structure for SEQ Factor
• Intro: Identify all three factors + state argument
briefly
• Para 1: Examine how given factor has
contributed to the issue. PEAL
• Para 2: Examine how other factor 1 has
contributed to the issue. PEAL
• Para 3: Examine how other factor 2 has
contributed to the issue. PEAL
• Conclusion: Weigh the three factors. Explain
(with reference to all three factors) why a
particular factor is “the most important.”
“the most important” (very vague term)
You need to provide a criterion to define “most
important”
Which of the following is the best
guy for you? EYA
• Scenario: There are three guys who are after
your hand in marriage. You have to decide which
one you wish to marry, and justify your choice to
your parents.
• “Weighing” requires you to compare all three
guys with each other, based on your criterion.
• “the best” – very vague. What is the criterion?
• Boy A: Tall, dark and handsome. (a model)
• Boy B: Has money flowing out of his ears (a
business man)
• Boy C: Your # 1 fan. (a teacher)
Your choice of the “best” guy will depend on
your criterion of selection.
• If your criterion is based on “appearances”, then
you might pick Boy A:
• Boy A is the best guy for me because he has the
best appearance of the three guys. Although Boy
B is very rich, but he has looks that only a
mother can love. Moreover, Boy C, much as he
is faithful to me, he is 5 cm shorter than me. So
in conclusion, I choose to marry Boy A because I
am physically attracted to him, but not to Boy B
or C.
Your choice of the “best” guy will depend on
your criterion of selection.
If your criterion is based on “financial security and
comfort”, then you might pick Boy B:
Boy B is the best guy for me because he has the
greatest financial security of the three guys. Although
Boy A is good looking, he might lose his looks as he
ages, and this means that his modelling career will
eventually be in jeopardy, and we may not have
sufficient funds for retirement. Moreover, although Boy C
is faithful to me, he is only drawing a lowly pay as a
teacher, and it doesn’t seem likely that he will be able to
rise above that position. So in conclusion, I choose to
marry Boy B because he is the son of an extremely
established business man, and will be able to provide for
my financial security, as well as the well being of our
children in the future. Even if it doesn’t work out for us in
the long term, I can still sue for alimony, and can thus
continue to live a life of luxury.
“The most important”
• Examples of criterion:
- The underlying factor (without which, the other
two factor cannot exist) Good governance. SS
- The long term factor (which led to other short
term factors) Communism
- The deciding factor (without which, it would not
have led to that particular outcome)
Stalin/Hitler’s rise to power.
- The most basic necessity (all other factors deal
with higher needs) Conflict between states. SS
Which of the following is the most important for good
governance?
-Leadership/Meritocracy/Adaptability
In conclusion, good leadership would be the most
important factor for good governance, as it is the
underlying factor, without which, the principles of
meritocracy and adaptability cannot be realised. It is only
a good leadership which implements the principle of
meritocracy where the “best person gets the job” that
they will be able to recruit the best talents to lead
Singapore forward and to ensure social stability through
a fair system of promotion according to merit. Also, it is
only a good leadership that will see the need to
constantly adapt to the changing face of the world so as
to keep Singapore competitive and attractive to foreign
investors, thus ensuring that Singapore remains
economically viable and that its citizens enjoy a high
standard of living.
Which of the following was the most important reason behind
the rising tensions in international relations in the 1930s?
Explain your answer.
-Communism/ Great Depression of 1929 /Territorial ambitions
In conclusion, I would argue that the Great Depression
was the most important factor as it was the long term
factor that made the fear of Communism more real, and
made rearmaments an attractive way in which to solve
the problem of unemployment. The Great Depression
saw the collapse of the American economy, and showed
clearly that the system of Capitalism was flawed. This in
turn made the Western Capitalist states even more
fearful about Communism, as they were afraid that the
communists may take advantage of this unstable
situation to launch a take-over. It was the Great
Depression too, that gave impetus to the policy of
rearmaments, which provided Germany with the
concrete means to fulfill her territorial ambitions.
To what extent was Stalin’s rise to power due
to the weaknesses of his rivals? EYA
Although Stalin’s rise to power could not have happened
without the failings of his rivals, it is to a large extent due to
his own strengths, in particular, his ability to capitalize on the
weaknesses of others, which was ultimately the deciding
factor.
Even though Trotsky was unpopular with party members
because of his pride, Stalin did not choose to leave it as
that, but rather actively sought to alienate Trotsky from the
party by portraying him in a bad light, and by gaining
influential supporters within the party for himself.
While the rivalry between his rivals weakened each of their
positions, Stalin actually skillfully made use of Zinoviev and
Kamenev by first allying with them to eliminate Trotsky, and
after Trotsky had been eliminated, Stalin found new allies to
purge Zinoviev and Kamenev as well.
Thus, Stalin was truly a remarkable politician and it is more
to his credit, rather than the weaknesses of his rivals, that
he rose to become the leader of the Communist Party.
Which one of the following factors is the most important
reason for the outbreak of tensions between countries?
-Conflict over scarce resources/over territories/over ideologies
In conclusion, although all three factors have clearly contributed to
the outbreak of tensions between countries, the most fundamental
and therefore important factor would be conflict over scarce
resources. Conflict over territories are often also conflict over
resources, rather than over territory per se. China’s conflict with
Japan over the Senkaku Islands is less for the land and more for
the underwater oil deposits surrounding the Islands. Similarly,
USA’s crusade against Iraq was as much an ideological conflict
between secular liberalism and religious fundamentalism as it was
to secure the oil fields in Iraq. Ultimately the conflict over scarce
resources are the most important as it pertains directly to
economic survival, which is a basic necessity, in contrast to the
intangible gains of national pride and safeguarding one’s identity.
A country that cannot survive economically will be dependent on
other countries for aid and this eventually compromises both its
national sovereignty and identity.
Was Protectionism the most important factor
leading to the outbreak of war in Asia-Pacific?
In conclusion, I would argue that the rise of militant
nationalism, rather than Protectionism, was the most
important factor in the outbreak of war in Asia-Pacific as it
meant that Japan was pre-disposed towards solving
problems, such as Protectionism imposed by America, by
violent rather than diplomatic means. It also means that
even if the League had taken strong actions against
Japan in the form of sanctions (like what America
eventually did), it would be perceived as an added affront
to Japanese national interest, and therefore further justify
its need to take active military actions in order to secure
resources and markets in Asia-Pacific so as to withstand
the perceived anti-Japanese stance of the West.
To what extent has common space ensured racial harmony
in Singapore society? EYA.
In conclusion, the creation of common space is the most important
factor in ensuring racial harmony, as it provides the concrete avenue
for sustained interaction and bonding to take place, and helps to
make the building of a national identity into a reality. For example,
the common practices such as the singing of the national anthem
and national service for Singaporean men which aim to build
national identity can only be made possible through the creation of a
common space. Similarly, although safeguarding minority rights is
important in ensuring racial harmony, it is necessary for these
representatives not to promote their own group’s parochial interests,
but to also be mindful of racial sensitivities, which are in our nation’s
interest. This racial sensitivity and desire to co-exist peacefully can
only be internalised through sustained social interaction with other
races in racially-integrated schools, residential areas and national
service which have fostered a real and deep sense of national
bonds that will help to preserve racial harmony in Singapore.
Without common spaces, the building of national identity will remain
an empty rhetoric and safeguarding minority rights can become
distorted as different groups pursue their respective interests
without concern for national interests.