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Lee Kuan Yew explicitly cited Switzerland as the best run country in the world and a model for Singapore in the 60's when he designed (with the help of foreign advisors such as Albert Winsemius [1][2][3][4]) the way the country's institutions would work.

[1] https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1457_20...

[2] https://www.worldscientific.com/pressroom/2022-05-25-01

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Winsemius

[4] https://thekopi.co/2019/09/02/albert-winsemius/

So, not sure your point carries much weight.



Switzerland is primarily characterized by direct democracy, frequent referendums and its federal system that delegates a lot of power to the cantons.

Singapore is primarily characterized by... none of those things???

> So, not sure your point carries much weight.

It's not "my point", it's reality on the ground.


Singapore is effectively a one party state, with the same group (PAP) in power for over 60 years. They outlawed public protests except for ones specifically sanctioned by them. They control the press. The son of the guy you cited is the current leader of the country. It's nothing like Switzerland at all and never has been, unless your argument is that both countries are capitalist and have leveraged their unique positions as tiny nations between major powers, establishing themselves as banking hubs. Politically, socially and otherwise they're nothing alike.

And just to drive home the point why citing unbiased sources is important: According to the early fascists they were a movement lobbying for democracy and women's rights, among other positive sounding demands. That was right on their manifesto in big letters. It didn't quite turn out that way, and in fact looking back with the power of hindsight people like Mussolini had questionable motives from the start.




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