In the past week of classes at NUS, I have gained a lot from two courses. One is about Singapore's good governance practices, and the other is service management. Although the names of these two courses sound somewhat dry, I actually learned a great deal that has significant reference value for entrepreneurship.
. The instructor was Yeo Kim Wah, a former Singaporean legislator, whose experience accumulated through political practice made his teaching highly instructive.
At the founding of the United States, its constitution and philosophy were deeply influenced by classical liberal philosopher John Locke. Locke proposed the concepts of life, liberty, and property, while the U.S. Declaration of Independence emphasized the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These ideas laid the foundation for the economic, political, and cultural development of the United States, with the Puritan tradition providing underlying support.
Therefore, the U.S. believes that freedom comes first, and the economy will naturally flourish afterward.
On the contrary, Singapore believes in taking the opposite approach:
, allowing people to live healthy lives and achieve their aspirations in a good environment; secondly, provide a peaceful and stable environment so that the vast majority of the population enjoys personal and political
Throughout the development process, Singapore extensively learns from international experiences but adjusts according to its own actual situation and innovates on this basis.
Quoting Lee Kuan Yew: "Although Singapore faces many problems, about 70% of them can be addressed by referencing and learning from other countries' solutions, then making corresponding modifications and adaptations based on our national conditions. At the same time, our country's ability to innovate in some areas should not be overlooked."
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Singapore's attitude is extremely pragmatic. In the U.S., pragmatism often means catering to public opinion and easily making political compromises. However, in Singapore, the criterion for shifting practical policies is based on actual results rather than popularity. Correct actions are upheld, and wrong ones are changed. "If it works, implement it; if it doesn't, modify it!" This is an attitude that earns respect but does not seek favor.
"Mistakes are inevitable, we must quickly recognize and correct them to improve our performance. This requires a spirit of innovation, as well as the courage to explore, research, and test new plans and policies." -- Lee Kuan Yew
When implementing specific policies, Singapore places great emphasis on scalability and sustainability.
For example, the government keeps its operational costs at an extremely low level, and proceeds from land sales go into the treasury for investment. Fifty percent of the investment returns are used by the current government, and the other fifty percent are reserved for future generations. Moreover, land is not sold all at once; much of the land in the city center is preserved for use as schools and parks. Currently unsold land is mostly used as golf courses because such usage causes minimal pollution.
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to better support business growth.
); and when encountering opportunities suitable for development, achieve exponential growth (