Lee Kuan Yew
——The founding father of Singapore
A brief introduction to Lee
Lee Kuan Yew (September 16, 1923 - March 23, 2015)
was a Singaporean Chinese, his ancestral home was
Guangdong Province.He graduated from Raffles College,
Singapore, one of the founders of the People's Action
Party of Singapore. He served as Prime Minister of
Singapore, Supreme Leader of Singapore.He is known
as the "Father of Singapore".
Colonial past
Japanese invasion
catalogue
The independence of small state
Grasp of opportunity
Mixed views to Lee
Colonial past
In 1819, the British fleet used threats and temptation
to get the rulers of the Malay kingdom to sign trade
agreements. In 1824, Singapore was officially
incorporated into the British territory.
During more than 130 years of British rule,
Singapore's legal education and system closely
matched that of Britain. As the way through
the Strait of Malacca, it has gradually become an
important transit station connecting Europe and Asia
Thanks to its economic
development,it has attracted
immigrants from all over the
world. Chinese make up the
majority. Due to ethnic
diversity, residents of
Singapore do not have a
strong sense of independence
Japanese invasion
Lee Kuan Yew received a British education from a young
age and was admitted to the top local universities after
graduation.At the beginning of World War II, Japanese
forces occupied Southeast Asia, including Singapore.
The Japanese launched a massacre against the Chinese
in Singapore. Lee Kuan Yew deeply realized the
importance of national independence after witnessing the
massacre of the colonies by the Japanese army
The independence of small state
After the war, when Britain resumed its role as Singapore's
colonial rule, Lee decided to study law in Britain to prepare for a
career in politics. In 1946, at the age of 23, Lee went to Britain on
a troop ship and was admitted to Cambridge University the
following year. By this time, British colonial power was in decline,
with the rise of the United States and the Soviet Union. Lee
decided to return to Singapore to pursue his plans. In 1950, Lee
returned to Singapore, opened a law firm and became active in the
anti-colonial movement. Fearing a violent overthrow, Britain
offered to negotiate, and Singapore became independent.
Grasp of opportunity
Singapore is located in the Malacca Strait, the geographical location is very
superior. After independence from Britain, Singapore‘s future is uncertain, in
order to get a stable development environment, Singapore decided to
merge with Malaysia, Singapore maintains a certain degree of
independence. Due to some reasons, conflicts continue. In 1965 Singapore
was kicked out of the federation.
At this time Singapore had a small population and a weak economy, and the
international situation was uncertain. Facing the risk of being annexed at any time,
Lee introduced a national military service and chose to support the United States at
that time to gain substantial development. At that time, the United States had a
financial crisis. So it began to transfer manufacturing to Southeast Asia in large
numbers. Lee Kuan Yew seized the opportunity to carry out a number of domestic
reforms, improving the investment environment of Singapore, and a large number
of foreign businessmen entered Singapore. Singapore rose from a small fishing
village to a safe, stable and prosperous modern country.
Mixed views to lee
Lee Kuan Yew was a shrewd realist who set high
standards for his people and imposed strict laws
throughout the country. He was driven by a great
political ambition and keen international vision, and his
goals were always aimed at the independence and
development of Singapore. Some may have viewed his
policy is too strong or dictatorship, but this did not
reduce his importance in Singapore and the world.
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