Lee Kuan Yew: Singapore's Controversial Father

[@Biographics]

Check out Squarespace: squarespace.com/BIOGRAPHICS for 10% off on your first purchase.

[@oslonorway547]

Why the re upload? Care to let your subscribers know in the description, just in case there were some special details that got added to the re-upload?

[@Revenant77x]

@@oslonorway547 1st upload cut off before the end of the video.

[@oslonorway547]

@@Revenant77x Ahh now I remember, I thought it was my internet and simply moved on. 😂

[@jimmybrewer7041]

Simon, how about doing a bio on the POS Alfred Kinsey.

[@petma5551]

@@oslonorway547 I support

[@Alverya]

As a Singaporean, thank you for making this balanced & fair. Lee Kuan Yew created a nation that everyone said was impossible. Nobody believed Singapore would survive when we were kicked out of Malaysia. But now, I personally think that was one of the best things that happened to us. Yes, Lee Kuan Yew was ruthless a lot of times, and I personally may not agree with a lot of his actions, but one cannot take away the fact that he truly loved Singapore and its people, and built a country that is one of the safest in the world with such a rich & diverse culture. I'm proud to be born & bred in this tiny island city nation.

[@pyromania1018]

At least he didn't enslave his enemies or have them shot through the back of the head.

[@vincekelly5233]

@@pyromania1018 yea, that is a good thing. I have to agree with you there lol

[@kafkacommercialstudios4124]

Everyone know Singapore would survive and do well lmao. By the time LKY took over, it was already one of the busiest ports in the world, and a regional trading hub. In fact Singapore had been that way since Raffles landed.

[@kafkacommercialstudios4124]

@@pyromania1018 Yeah, he just locked them up for decades, sued them to bankruptcy, or otherwise ruined them and their families' lives.

[@lazybastard6004]

Don't seek western validation, don't be thankful

[@edwincheng8682]

"At the end of the day, what have I got? A successful Singapore. What have I given up? My life." - Lee Kuan Yew

[@dingaroo2003]

Thank you for your sacrifices and I am proud to carry my pink IC and red passport.

[@chianghongyi3039]

wow

[@chan6565]

@@dingaroo2003 what do pink IC and red passport mean?

[@crackheadperson9417]

@@chan6565 Pink IC refers our identification card which is indeed pink and the red passport is just referring to our passport which is red

[@kafkacommercialstudios4124]

But he didn't have to give up his life though. He and his family made millions, enjoyed tons of power and privilege.

[@ragsoh]

Singaporean here. Growing up in the 1960s, I remembered standing outside my house and there was nothing much as far as the eye can see. Only a few trees and one small building. In a short span of 50 years, i see a prosperous, safe and orderly Singapore. When LKY died, I stood in the CBD and waited for the cortege to pass. When it was in front of me, I remembered mumbling "Thank you Mr Lee" and my tears rolled. I have never cried as an adult. But that day I did. I remembered thinking what would happen to Singapore without LKY. He never claimed to be the father of Singapore. Every moment he is awake, he would think of Singapore's survival. I have deep respect for him.

[@POAgaming1944]

@BlackBannerz how tf am i suppose to live in the wilderness

[@POAgaming1944]

@BlackBannerz probably China before arriving to Singapore, which had basic living conditions

[@widjiro]

@BlackBannerz why are you in youtube then?

[@joshuakuehn]

@BlackBannerz I agree with you but signapore really doesn't have the square mileage to allow for wilderness. Having uncontrolled wilderness is a privilege reserved for large countries with lower overall population density. We definitely need to preserve as much wilderness as we can tho!

[@huixinkristen584]

❤️

[@athanasius_lim]

To sum it up: Lee Kuan Yew is the strict parent who shows tough love to his children because he cares for them.

[@khanhgiapham-mi4hg]

he was fascist and dictator.

[@rudyfelix2551]

Correctly said !

[@dika_170]

well said

[@griddycheese]

He might’ve been considered a dictator but a caring one that wants to secure his countries future

[@damien86]

No he is the control freak parent who strangles their children from any shred of independence!

[@ray6903]

As a Singaporean, I say this with the deepest respect: LKY built our country and he built it well. When he passed, millions of us queued to pay our respects and I saw so many people crying.

[@FluidKaos]

Seems he was the closest thing to a "philosopher king" in modern history. Tyrant when he needed to be, but ultimately looking out for his people and country first and foremost. He was definitely an "ends justify the means" guy. I don't agree with all of his means, but they seem to have worked.

[@cfcblue8]

From what I’ve seen, it’s usually him, Ataturk, and Tito that are the closest to that title.

[@jeffersonott4357]

I mean, I think we can all agree that “benevolent monarch”. Is the best form of government… it’s just so hard to find, because human nature and history shows us that when people get power, they lose the benevolent part very quickly, and cling to power with every fiber of their being.

[@joeroganpodfantasy42]

that's the beautiful thing about him he didn't care if people didn't like his methods. He stuck to what worked no matter how people felt about it , pragmatism gave him respect in the international stage and in his people. You saying for example you don't agree with his methods you are not providing any alternative solution that works you just taking an empty moral high ground to feel better about yourself.

[@jeffersonott4357]

@@joeroganpodfantasy42 who is criticizing him? Anyways, the OP is clearly on this man’s side… what are you on about?

[@ct9245]

From Indic philosophy aspect , he is close to a Chakravarti ( Wheel-Turning Sacred King ) , From western philosophy aspect , he is close to a Philosopher king。

[@PhillipHilton]

I've lived in Singapore for 11 years. I'm from the UK and prior to coming to Singapore I've lived and worked in three other countries - Japan, the US and Australia. As a guest here I am a massive fan of what has been accomplished - even in my short tenure - by the Singaporeans. It's a testament to having a solid leadership team, making pragmatic decisions without agendas, planning infrastructure decades in advance, applying broken window theory pragmatically, driving higher standards, establishing a national identity which overrides race or religion and having 'absolutely zero tolerance' for corruption in the administration. As well as the HDB system I would also highlight the power of the still mandatory 2 years of national service in forging societal unity in a nation. Singapore could under different management very, very easily turn on itself if the populists were allowed to sow division. If you want to cut down on petty crime, violence and improve stability find something for men between the ages of 18-24 to do. If you are Singaporean or a PR and whether you are the son of street sweeper or a member of parlement from 18-20 years of age - and for two weeks every year for the next 20 years - you are running up and down hills with a 20 pound pack and a weapon. 'Getting to them early' tends to stop young men making 'poor life choices' early on, toughens up the more mathlete than athlete types and introduces the more closeted kids to a diverse peer group. Mixing everyone together helps build up a society's immune system and prevents division. It's a smart investment of time and resources with a longterm payout. Thanks to nearly 60 years of smart management the only major challenges that Singapore 'really has' are around scale: access to natural resources (there is no hinterland here so no mining, logging, mass production of food or oil); access to a large economically relevant workforce (there are 3.5 million native Singaporeans and a resident population of 5.45 million[locals plus foreigners] even with a great education system statistically any population can only produce so many neurosurgeons, full stack developers, architects and quantum physicists); and the limits on space in general(the whole island is only 728 km sq). This place improves and reinvents itself continuously but the only reason its able to do that is because of the start LKY gave the country.

[@tthtlc]

Yes, I agree with you. Having travelled to USA (Seattles, Las Vegas, Boston etc.....I never saw so many beggars in my life), and Germany, Japan, France etc, I can really appreciate the differences in life style everywhere. Eg in Germany and France, so many times I was inconvenience by railway strikes, or bus strikes. and once in USA - plane strikes.

[@charlotteloh5803]

Thank you for taking the time to write this, was a really good read to hear about SG from the perspective of an expat :)

[@JohnChristosMolura]

then why does every other expat seek pleasure in using Lee for entertainment fodder over whiskeys?

[@PhillipHilton]

@@JohnChristosMolura I couldn't tell you have you tried asking them? I find asking someone politely but directly is usually the best place to start with any line of inquiry ;). I find that ignorance and bias don't stand up to even the gentlest of clear, calm critical questioning. Years of experience dealing with wallies who have ill considered, entrenched positions has taught me that the best way to tackle the issue is to start with a question like "Thats an interesting viewpoint why do you think that?" then gently dig deeper. You need to get them out of an emotional state and 'thinking' and critically assessing their own assumptions. Why? What? When? Who? Are your allys in this kind of engagement. Meeting force with force just leads to argument. You will rarely get someone over to your way of thinking on the first try. However, that's not the purpose of the exercise. As ridiculous as this is going to sound the goal is to plant a little seed of truth and doubt then watch it grow. You walk away from that engagement knowing that what you have said is now taking up space in his or her head. At 3am that little undeniable, uncomfortable truth starts to grow. Verses the opposite you take an offhanded comment from a drunk wally personally and 'his'/'her' words take up space in your head and you let it get to you. I've tried this approach with racists, conspiracy theorists and a couple of anti-vaxxer types. It works. The first time I did this and it worked I felt about 10 feet tall. Give it a try and see how you get on. However, as a general rule its an extremely bad idea to try to reason with anyone a few drinks deep. If someone is emotionally fired up because they are stressed out for whatever reason, drinking excessively and being obnoxious? They are the opposite of sober, calm and objective if you need to have a chat wait until they are in a position to do so.

[@FollowNRBH]

@@PhillipHilton This is brilliant

[@ethanramos4441]

“A nation is great not by its size alone. It is the will, the cohesion, the stamina, the disciple of the its people and the quality of their leaders which ensure it an honorable place in history.” Lee Kuan Yew

[@3xj704]

"Whoever governs Singapore must have that iron in him."

[@SEAZNDragon]

There's a scene from his time as Senior Minister that I think sum up Lee Kwan Yew well. Lee was touring a park when he suddenly squat down on a sidewalk and felt it with his hand. Lee said the sidewalk was too hot and more trees should be planted for shade so parkgoers wouldn't be hot as they are walking on the sidewalk. A micromanager for sure but ultimately looking out for the well being of his citizens.

[@princesssupernova5300]

thank god he planted trees everywhere or we will get heatstroke within 5min of walking outside in 40.C

[@pi5927]

​@@princesssupernova5300 it might be moist af but at least we got that shade

[@ShihouMatsuri]

There's a similar story where he was walking along the Singapore River the day of his wife's funeral and he saw some rubbish floating in the river, and he took pictures of it to notify the ministry to clean it up.

[@davidh5903]

Napoleon did the same thing, he wanted trees planted along a canal so the leaves could shade his troops, his minister with him said ~~ "but my lord, that will take decades!" Napoleon said "the more reason to start right away!" :-)

[@Sewblon]

"tress" don't you mean: trees?

[@papafreddy2123]

As a Malaysian who's been to Singapore a few times, I think the simplest way to summarize his principles is that he understood the flaws of authoritarianism and what needed to be done to justify it. If one chooses to silence opposition, they have to make sure that they don't give the people a reason to oppose and prove that their methods are the better option. The reason why PAP has stayed in power for so long is because they always ensure the best for their people and keep their citizens happy in order to prevent dissent, other modern dictatorships found in countries like China, North Korea and Russia haven't been able to fulfill that promise which results in a lot of opposition towards their methods, especially from their own people which they regularly silent. But due to Singapore's (and to an extent Lee Kuan Yew's) survivalist mentality, they keep striving to do better in order to fix problems that critics may point out. It's the only country I've seen where authoritarianism actually worked out, because the people in power know very well that once they start slowing down or make mistakes in their way of governing, the people can very easily vote them out in favor of the opposition.

[@tweedy4sg]

I agree with most what you wrote but you're wrong about the popularity of the gov'ts in Singapore vs China. Do you know that the CPC has approval rating of ~90% based on polling conducted by a Harvard study group and another by Pew whilst PAP has historically won the popular vote in elections at between 55% to 70%. I know , I know you'll say polls are just sampling whilst election results area better gauge., but hey polls are widely used & believed by west as a useful electoral tool.. Of course opposition & dissent becomes more visible in China because 10% of 1.4 bil is 140 mil and the western media penchant to amplify & exaggerate dissenting views in China. Even if not all the 10% are vocal about their opposition, but say only 0.1%, giving 1.4 mil people, that is still a lot to contend with. Besides Singaporeans has learnt to voice their opposition through the ballot box or kopitiam chats because they have seen what happened to opposition parties & their members should they become too threatening to PAP during LKY days. I think you're overstating the ability of the PAP to practice authoritarianism with a "touch of class" so to speak.

[@khajiithadwares2263]

Other unspoken aspect of it: education. If you plan hard to keep your people educated and employed with something to do, they would: 1. Not be easily swayed by mere rethoric, promises of quick gain,theoretical speaking, to see faults were there are none. Occupied hands are content/hard to corrupt. 2. A lot of those bigger countries have a high demographic of low income, low education households, which can be easily swayed politicaly with dogma, materialistic promises, bribes,appeals to emotion, impulse, greed. (causing a vicious cycle of corruption where highups dont care about people because they're easily swayed and convinced,and people dont trust highups because they're "corrupt")

[@mpdmpd8118]

no comment on Russia cause I never stay there before. North Korea everyone know is one of the kind country. then China dictatorship is one of the hell better political system than many countries TBH....democractic not always work,,,,,the important is the result.

[@StuninRub]

LKY based most of his government after what Deng Xiao Peng set up. LKY regularly praised DXP like a fan boy. You have no idea what you are talking about kid.

[@Giles20]

Its actually the other way round. Deng modelled post 1980s China on the Singapore model and it worked wonders. Look at how quickly China developed because of its pragmatism.

[@jmill1334]

There are pros and cons to every style of government. Lee Kuan Yew seems to have balanced a good mixture to attempt to get most of the pros to propel Singapore forward. It's good to see a ruler that isn't just in it for themselves and truly wants a better world for the people they govern. Hard to find those people these days. Impressive man absolutely, a good leader sometimes has to make tough decisions.

[@ching3007]

Agreed. Personally I think the title seems a little harsh (and not representative of the video), the term controversial is generally reserved for brutal tyrants especially when without an accompanying compliment. He wasn't without controversy for sure, but he is by large respected by all, both in the East and West as a benevolent dictator and one of the great leaders of the 20th century, which should say something about him. In fact most great leaders are not without controversy, FDR and Churchill all had massive flaws, just that they happened to also have strengths that overshadowed their flaws. I would probably reserve the title "controversial father" for deeply flawed leaders with some slight redeeming quality/degree of positive legacy like Chiang Kai Shek, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Sukarno amongst others If I were to suggest, "Singapore's benevolent dictator" would probably be an objective and less harsh title more befitting of his legacy, and more reflective of the video's message and conclusion.

[@pyromania1018]

I also like that he was entirely honest about his actions. He freely admitted that not everything he did was *right*.

[@wesleyray2127]

I think it would have been hard to find a leader who cares at any point tbh

[@pkloh2520]

@@ching3007 😎

[@sunway1374]

If he was successful in building a better world for Singaporeans, why are Singaporeans afraid to make babies?

[@DDELE7]

As an American I am a firm believer that if you want to study a leader who could successfully build a nation in the 21st century you MUST study Lee Kuan Yew.

[@francischeong9835]

As a man in my 40s now. I pride myself as a Singaporean who is lucky to benefit from the great foresight of Mr. Lee and under his leadership that led a small fishing port island state nation that was in poverty to a first world nation in less than 40 years. I am utterly grateful to what Mr. Lee have contributed to our nation building. My favourite quote from late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew: "I have no regrets. I have spent my life, so much of it, building up this country. There's nothing more that I need to do. At the end of the day, what have I got? A successful Singapore. What have I given up? My life." RIP, Mr.Lee

[@taskdon769]

Lee's visit to Hong Kong University in 1992 which he has discussed about his view of democracy. He was highly critical of the irresponsibility of former colonial (mainly UK) nations by simply abandoning their subjects by leaving to their own devices without providing a proper development in education prior to it.

[@Frost_on_YouTube]

It's how many of those same colonial powers continue to exploit and exert influence over their 'former' colonies. See: France in Africa.

[@syedmohammadaanasfarukh890]

Well that's what the colonies wanted - full, unconditional independence. Hong Kong stayed till the end and look how developed it was. Natives simply wanted blood thristy dictators with flowery words more than a stable british government educating the citizens properly first.

[@IA100KPDT]

@@syedmohammadaanasfarukh890 u clearly haven't live in HK or any of the cage home.

[@trollerjakthetrollinggod-e7761]

@@syedmohammadaanasfarukh890 it's not so simple. India for example had a much better government before British colonialism, so it makes no sense to attack people for wanting what they had before.

[@pengu8734]

@@syedmohammadaanasfarukh890 UK is a dirty rat hole, it's fairly wealthy for its unique positions and finance. But honestly it's an incredibly unsanitary city

[@sleepy_dobe]

If there was ever a dictator who devoted his life to improving his country and the lives of his people, that dictator would be the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He held onto power with a vice-like grip because he didn't trust another to do good by Singapore's citizens with that amount of power. He ruled with an iron fist, because he knew if he accommodated individual freedom and rights like the western cultures, Singapore's diverse people of different ethinic groups and cultures would be fighting amongst each other and doom the little, young nation. He did everything he could, together with his team whom he would always give credit to as well, to ensure the foundations for a successful nation were firmly laid. I understand his rationale, and agree with his thinking though not with every method he employed. But I am deeply grateful to have been born in Singapore, and benefited from his wisdom and leadership. My respect and appreciation for him is immense, such that at every anniversary of his death, I change my social media profile photos to those dedicated to his passing. And if I'm out and about on that day, I still wear a black ribbon on my shirt collar to commemorate his death. His way of governance were just right for Singapore at that time, in that era. Even he knew, as he admitted in his latter years, that his methods and way of governance would not have worked in today's Singapore. He was the right man, at the right time, to lead Singapore. I, for one, am grateful to have had a dictator who cared only for the betterment of his fellow citizens' lives, and not the accumulation of personal wealth and power as almost every other known dictator would. Whoever said that dictatorships are bad. You just needed the right person to be the dictator. Having said that, these right persons are few and far between. Singapore is immeasurably blessed to have had one as her first Prime Minister.

[@thomasgrabkowski8283]

He explained his tactics in which he believed that a successful nation needs an extremely strong sense of dicipline among its population and he went to all lengths to ensure that

[@b7076-y7x]

He didn't trust anybody because he knew there's certainly no one he can trust. As you've said the right kind of person is few and far between.

[@pringlessourcream9527]

Other countries are blessed with rich resources and lands, Singapore is blessed with LKY and his team.

[@JustKrista50]

Thanks for posting the full video! Singapore got lucky with a leader who was iron fisted, but honestly invested in creating a great society. Multi- cultural, respectful of religions and language. A mix of socialism and capitalism. I can see why Singapore cherished him.

[@Zz7722zZ]

Yes, we got very lucky, he could have turned out an authoritarian megalomaniac that doomed his country like so many others, but he didn't.

[@martinlee7102]

but singaporeans are brainwashed by him

[@martinlee7102]

all worship him like a god what JOKE

[@MaoistJohnWick]

"mix of socialism and capitalist" what a joke 🤣

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:30 - Chapter 1 - Elite roots 5:10 - Chapter 2 - Path to power 9:20 - Mid roll ads 10:45 - Chapter 3 - Moment of anguish 15:00 - Chapter 4 - A land without ideology 19:25 - Chapter 5 - The benign dictator 23:10 - Chapter 6 - Last years

[@XevLexa]

Thank you

[@thetravellingbloke2992]

As a Singaporean, thank you for the mentioned of LKY. I remember he mentioned when he died, he doesn't want statues or any road name after him. He also mentioned demolish his house, so it doesn't become a museum or a landmark.

[@Nolaris3]

Yeah, but it's a shame that house is still being fought over and honestly such a stain on the Lee family.

[@abrahamdsl]

@@Nolaris3 @thetravellingbloke2992 As long as daughter Dr. Lee Wei Ling still lives there, it's not for demolition.

[@Soshiaircon91]

As a Singaporean I may not have like everything he does but I have a deep respect for what he has done for the nation.

[@ligmaballs2022]

a nation that still can't accept marijuana to be used in medicine

[@Jackson0000]

At least lucky we are not in poor india or phi or ind or malaysia courrpt.

[@ligmaballs2022]

@@Jackson0000 our government has a certain definition of what 'corruption' actually means, every government has some form of ulterior motive

[@vivekstreme1994]

@@Jackson0000 or china

[@PsySaucererOfnHen]

Love him or hate him, our Founding Father is the reason why Singapore is what it is today. Thanks for the video!

[@ape936]

Yeah and the common Singaporeans act for my name sake

[@Andrew-df1dr]

A dictatorship. Yep. It's a terrible country. It has very little freedom of speech, association, assembly, choice and the press. Furthermore the country still clings to that archaic relics of the ancient past that if death penalty and canning. It is Disneyland with the death penalty.

[@MrVayolence]

That man is a hero, there is nothing controversial, he did what had to be done. The results speak for themselves.

[@moldveien1515]

Lee Kuan Yew was one of the few leaders in history who could pull of the benevolant dictator style of ruler. Beacuse unlike most who claim to be a benevolent dictator he actually stuck to his values instead of simply wanting power and wealth for its own sake

[@digimongod45]

Glad to have the corrected version up. Very interesting to see a leader who acknowledged that they aren't perfect and that they didn't do everything right.

[@vincekelly5233]

It is very interesting to see a leader/Dictator admit that. So rare and cool actually...

[@Anonymous_Lee19]

Lee Kuan Yew is only "controversial" outside of Singapore... He is well-loved by almost all Singaporeans! When compared to other countries, it is clear that Singaporeans only need to give up very little for many things that we can take for granted (e.g. safety, economic/political stability, basic necessities, etc.). It is difficult for others to understand until they try to live in Singapore. Many "controversies" and "restrictions" discussed by foreigners are overstated. For example, many assumed that the PAP remained the ruling party because they somehow "forced" or "threatened" the citizens to vote for them, which is so far from the truth.

[@sunway1374]

You are deluded that he is well loved by all Singaporeans. I have met quite a few of them who cursed and showed their middle fingers when the name Lee Kuan Yew was mentioned. Interesting that they only dared do this when they were outside of Singapore.

[@stianaslaksen5799]

If a world government would ever form, I would give my vote to Lee Kuan Yew. Abundant intellect, ruthlessness, passion, vision. No one better.

[@mara5297]

My mother lived in Singapore in the late 1960’s. She describes a very different place than it is today! LKY truly pulled off what everyone thought was impossible back then. The loss of certain freedoms catalyzed my husband’s family to immigrate to America - so I can hardly complain! It is my ultimate favorite country to visit, and with extended family there I have more excuses to go.

[@defaultsettings63]

If I ever find myself living in an authoritarian country, I hope it's one like Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore.

[@Bluespicygreen]

👅 👢

[@mnbr6884]

Modernday China is like that, believe it or not.

[@defaultsettings63]

@@mnbr6884 nah I don't believe that.

[@mnbr6884]

@@defaultsettings63 Don't blame ya. The media has done a great disinfo job on China.

[@siliconiusantogramaphantis2122]

Paul Kagame is the next Lee Kuan Yew.

[@laopang91362]

He is not controversial, he is a legend.

[@randomsh-t917]

Lee got it right. You can't expect citizens to do what's good for themselves. A firm handle is necessary to guide the people into a bright and safe future. I've been to Singapore with my young children and have never felt safer to have then roam freely. Yes, a well played hand.

[@cletusmorraies9370]

There's nothing controversial about LKY, not only a giant of a leader, but a very wise and intellectual man. We will never see the likes of him again.

[@brucehewson5773]

as an Australian working in Singapore since 1996, I can agree that, so long as you stay within the laws, you can enjoy life here on the Island.

[@Kaltagstar96]

I never thought I'd say this about an authoritarian: he genuinely doesn't seem too bad, especially when you compare him to other dictators at the time.

[@docentofkathu]

He did an excellent job when compared to almost all leaders/politicians of all stripes.

[@zCopyCatz]

His what you call a benevolent dictator, a dictator that uses his power for good, as odd as it sounds. Compared other actual dictators who would kill their opposition, Lee Kuan Yew would sue them in court for defamation, enough to the point where some of the gets jailed or loss support from the public.

[@limkailuen3022]

I’m a singaporean and let me tell U uneducated Americans , he was definitely not a dictator , even before u compare him to Putin or Kim Jong oon

[@PainRack]

@@zCopyCatz yes. As opposed to 31 hearings on Benghazi or impeachment because lying about a blowjob and calling his secretary was trying to influence her testimony but when Trump called Zelensky to influence him for details and withheld aid, Graham would 180 and say that's not undue influence, ditto FBI because off chance meeting on runway vs two appointment and asking him to influence probe . I just gotta ask this. Find me a circumstance how PAP could be called a dictatorship and undemocratic and then see how UK/US won't be barred from this either. 60 year rule of Singapore? 60 year rule of Chicago. Hate speech limitations and suing? That's a commonwealth thing and endorsed by UK too, esp since anti communist.

[@stevenw2933]

Not too bad? When he was first elected per capital income was $400 per year. When he left it was $12,000, now its $56,000. Singapore went from one of the poorest places anywhere in the world to one of the richest, under a single leader, in 30 years. Not only is he a good leader, he might be the single greatest nation builder in the 20th century, if not the last millennium. If Plato looked at what LKY has done with Singapore he would call him the philosopher king he envisioned in The Republic.

[@ChrisGVE]

I’ve have been living in Singapore for 13 years and while I haven’t experienced it since birth like my Singaporean friends, this country has a special place in my heart, and I hold LKY and LHL in very high esteem. Though Swiss, and thus initially emotionally remote, I lived through the last years and the passing of LKY very emotionally, at the time to my great surprise, and watching your video brought back some of the sadness of this time. I like your depiction of the benevolent leader, as in my mind LKY is one of the Greats, surely, like all the others, not a perfect one but one that built what will likely be a lasting success in SEA. I’d be curious if you plan to make a bio of LHL as well, this able prime minister and son has been steering this country in difficult waters, under a growing Chinese influence in the region, increasing tension between China and the US, economic pressures commingled with much less upside room to improve the population living standards. My sense is that LHL will be remembered as these 2nd generation who do well to maintain and further grow the works of their parents. Thank you for this well done documentary.

[@leewn2319]

Hi Christian, Just a correction on Sg PMs. 1st Generation PM was our founding PM Mr Lee Kuan Yew. 2nd Generation PM was Mr Goh Chok Tong, the current 3rd Generation PM is Mr Lee Hsiang Loon.

[@ChrisGVE]

@@leewn2319 Thanks, I know about emeritus senior minister Goh Chok Tong but when he was PM I wasn't in Singapore so I can't really relate with a direct experience, whilst I do, indirectly, when it comes to LKY and very directly to LHL. Thus my comment only refers to the father and son.

[@livetill7136]

Lee Hsien Loong. That's LKY's son. Wonder why nobody corrects you. But u r right about LHL, he has been long underrated by critics when put in comparison to his dad LKY. LHL has served SG well.

[@ChrisGVE]

@@livetill7136 you are right I meant LHL, not sure why I got it wrong consistently…

[@kurthandrews6206]

He made Singapore worth coming back to & call her home. ❤

[@coldbrewed8308]

Lee kuan yew is the leader that everybody needs. None has done better than him.

[@andybryson3887]

A benevolent dictator. I worked in Singapore as an expat between 2006 and 2010 and, apart from the weather, it is one of the best run countries in the world. British, only done better. Independence long before Hong Kong, but so much more British than Hong Kong. Everything works. I love Singapore and would put up with the censorship and the restrictions on free speech, only to live in utopia, any day

[@michaelsinger4638]

You can maybe question some of the methods. But Singapore would not be the powerhouse today without him.

[@benwilson4121]

Singapore is an incredible country with diverse and rich culture. This is all testimony to Lee and the Singaporean people. As an Australian it is good to have Singapore as a close and friendly neighbour.

[@Siege181]

Lee Kuan Yu was one of the greatest leaders in history. I might be biased as a Singaporean but compare the standard of living, freedom and safety of Singapore compared to ANY of our neighbours!

[@TheWinstonHan]

I second you even I'm a Malaysian

[@igustibagusananda7706]

Definitely not biased. He will be remembered in history. Just like Suleiman the Magnificent or George Washington.

[@madensmith7014]

It's a fact, not bias. Even your neighbors think highly of the place, being one of them

[@mundopizz]

I admire Him greatly. The most jealous neighbour Singapore is probably indonesia. I used to work there and knew how they dislike Singapore and Malaysia. But Singapore is like a brightest star in SE Asia.

[@mundopizz]

I admire Him greatly. The most jealous neighbour Singapore is probably indonesia. I used to work there and knew how they dislike Singapore and Malaysia. But Singapore is like a brightest star in SE Asia.

[@muhammetkara2997]

Singapore can be a inspiration for Africa in this century.Singapore has a colonial legacy like Africa. Singapore is a state that could achieve to rise from third world to first world country.lee kuan yew is one of the most reformist and revolutionist leaders.

[@willman3893]

without LKY, we wont be what we are today. let alone still be here tomorrow in such a weird world now.....so proud to be Singaporean, even proudest to have LKY as our leader.....miss him dearly....

[@jeffersonott4357]

That was such a wonderful, positive video, with I think the correct balance of respect and reverence and legit criticism. I remember being a kid hearing about Singapore canning people for spitting gum, but, “benevolent monarch”. Or, as I think Simon put it, “benign dictator” is truly the best form of government. The problem is, finding that person. This man seems like a rare breed, power didn’t own him and force him to become evil as it does so many others.

[@brianmoran1196]

Canning seems brutal and barbaric, but it does punish without much cost to the taxpayer and the criminal does not have a criminal record to ruin his future.

[@yen-8680]

The fact he willingly step down and guide the nation to live on without him… thats a good leader. Not perfect, but definitely great leader.

[@keithng5249]

Thanks for the video. I am also a Singaporean, and like an overwhelming majority of us, we acknowledged the massive impact he had on all of us, on all aspects of our life. He gave us not just wealth, but an identity and values to uphold it. Sure Singapore still has a lot to do, and in some little ways we might even regress a bit, but he gave us the head start many countries can only dream about. In 2015 when he passed on, I was working overseas. But even so, I went to the singapore consulate to pay him my last respects.

[@TeacherLegendary]

He is one of the greatest leaders the world has ever seen. No nonsense, only results. He doesnt need to be popular. He only does what is right for his country.Unlike western leaders who kow tow to gun makers and pharmaceutical companies

[@ykchang7171]

I am a Malaysian Chinese from Sarawak. I have to salute to him. Sarawak and Sabah were under the British rule before becoming independent and joined Malaysia like what Singapore did. Later Singapore was kicked out of Malaysia because of disagreement between Tunku Abdul Rahman and Lee Kuan Yew on the differences on the way to run Malaysia. History has shown that it is a blessing that Singapore left Malaysia and become one of the richest countries in the world with a clean government and people of races and religion living in harmony while Malaysia is lagging far behind in development burdened huge corruptions, like 1MDB, racial and religious tensions due to the government policy of siding Malays and Muslims in education, government positions, economic policy against the other races like Chinese and Indians. During the formation of Malaysia the Malaysian currency is on par or higher than Singapore currency. Now the Singapore currency is more than 3 times that of Malaysian currency and is still dropping non-stop. Although LKY has been accused of being dictatorial, he did it for the good of Singapore and for his own good. And ruled Singapore with a mandate from the people of Singapore won through fair elections. And he also ruled accordance to the law in Singapore. I wish Malaysia has leaders like LYK so everybody will be living in harmony not to worry about race, religion, corruption and then Malaysia will be a better place and the world will be a better place.

[@zCopyCatz]

SELL US CHICKEN!!!

[@kafkacommercialstudios4124]

Singapore is no post racial paradise either. In fact the government said openly that only a Chinese person can become PM.

[@jen5138]

@@kafkacommercialstudios4124 Where n when did he say that?

[@Milgram07]

@@kafkacommercialstudios4124 u are misquoting what was said - they didn't say only Chinese can become PM, they said they weren't sure if the country was ready for a non-chinese PM. Very different meaning. If u're Singaporean, then it's truly shameful of u trying to ruin ur own country with misinformation.

[@kafkacommercialstudios4124]

@@Milgram07 Don't play word games please. The government affirmed that race will be taken into account when selecting a PM, and it's not based entirely on merit. I don't care how they phrased it.

[@htreebro8112]

Lee’s influences on modern China were even more significant and of paramount importance to the world.

[@xhagast]

Yes, he taught the CCP that they could be modern, advanced and RICH while still being a dictatorship. What they refused to learn is that it could be done while not being corrupt. And that for it to last they HAD to be not corrupt. Lee knew what V, in V for Vendetta knew, the people must not be afraid of its government, the government must be afraid of its people.

[@samuelCWM]

People who question his methods fail to understand that he was not just a regular politician he was the founder of modern Singapore. Not a single country was built without making sacrifices and crossing certain lines.

[@adam872]

Great video. It's interesting to compare Singapore, where I have been several times, to Malaysia, where I lived as an expat for a few years. Considering where Singapore started from and the manner in which they were ejected from Malaysia, their success as a nation is truly remarkable. LKY was certainly authoritarian, but his is one of the very few examples where that philosophy yielded a net improvement in the quality of life for the average citizen. I think secretly Malaysian politicians are jealous of SG's success and in my opinion they've squandered their gifts by comparison.

[@neil7910]

Squandered is a severe understatement, most malaysians would dream of moving to singapore.

[@leewn2319]

Our founding PM Mr Lee Kuan Yew has no choice but to be authoritarian becos when Msia kicked out Sg, we have no resources, no hinder land, no economy. Despite these adversities, LKY on 9 Aug 1965 proclaimed & promised “Singapore will survive”. So he spent his whole life and energy building Sg from 3rd world to 1st world within 50yrs. So he will not let anyone to undo his life time hard work for the people and the country.

[@adam872]

@@leewn2319 no doubt. The success of SG speaks for itself.

[@Jackson0000]

Just say to malaysia who jealous that "None of your business" your problem courrpt. Not me. Haha

[@muhammadazlan1833]

I am malaysian, i am proud of malaysia, i don't bother or jealous a bit, so singaporean, please stay in your country, don't come and do things like speeding, throwing rubbish out of your cars...

[@3mKay]

The difference with him and dictators is that to dictators, its all about them and their family. To LKY, its about about Singapore, its his brainchild and he surrounded himself with the brightest people, of course him being principled helps greatly, while dictators of failed states surround themselves with yes men. His early cabinet and colleagues are all equally brilliant, capable and goal driven, I doubt they would even let him stay at his seat if he ever astray from his path and principles.

[@b7076-y7x]

Honestly his quite similar to a father who is tough to his children because he wants the best for them.

[@khanhgiapham-mi4hg]

@@b7076-y7x he is all about his ego.

[@b7076-y7x]

@@khanhgiapham-mi4hg I know, many Singaporeans and Malaysians say that.

[@avarmauk]

To Singaporeans he was not controversial. He was a true father of the nation. He sacrificed everything for his children. Was he strict? Yes as many parents are, but he ultimately wanted the best for his children.

[@Neofeora]

honestly he shares the same vibe of a father with a tough love because he wants his kids to live a better life.

[@seowengtay1785]

When you think about the fact that out of tiny Singapore with its tiny population, came not only LKY but his team of genius compatriots - every single one of them who could likely hold their own on the world stage, Singapore was truly meant to be.

[@srazaq1978]

Despite what anybody says. His results speak for themselves. Unlike most leaders, he actually helped his nation. Total respect. Bet Malaysia regrets its choices.

[@utubegeronimo7628]

Well,it is all water under the bridge now.Malaysians and Singaporeans must move on as exemplary Asean neighbours.

[@erq1971]

Born and grew up in and lived in Singapore till the early 90’s. I have the deepest respect for what he did for our country. He had Singapore in his heart.

[@sunway1374]

Why did you leave?

[@erq1971]

@@sunway1374 college

[@sunway1374]

@@erq1971 Didn't go back to live? Why?

[@erq1971]

@@sunway1374 married a Brit and stayed here

[@sunway1374]

​@erq1971 👍 The UK has more space and nature. Better than Singapore in that. Other aspects. Debatable. Just my opinion. I was a student in England in the mid 90s to early 00s as well.

[@readpbn]

Mr Lee not only made Singapore rich but but numerous Singaporeans wealthy. He was indeed a great leader.

[@clementihammock7572]

I don't idolize LKY, I respect him dearly, gave us a sense of identity and achievable harmonious garden like city. “The human being is an unequal creature. That is a fact. And we start off with the proposition. All the great religions, all the great movements, all the great political ideology, say let us make the human being as equal as possible. In fact, he is not equal, never will be.” - Lee Kuan Yew"

[@李銘輝-p4b]

I love Lee Kuan Yew! He’s such a huge inspiration and I admire him! He gave a speech here in my country in 1992 on a business conference pretty much giving us “free tips” on how to boost our economy and that involves attracting foreign-direct investments and removing restrictions in our laws to do that. Unfortunately, 30 years later, we still have protectionist policies on our constitution and in legislation so I hope we’ll be able to get rid of that soon. Watching that speech of his gives me hope for the future of my country.

[@exileatsushi7165]

"Controversial" father? This man is a genius with a heart bigger than the world. People who criticize him make me laugh so hard, because they haven't even achieved 1% of what Mr Lee Kuan Yew did.

[@ionut-valerserbanat3354]

So great that you repost it,nice video and really intersting,especially when we speak about the leaders of Singapore,a nation forced to become independent.I hope that you will talk in a future video about Carol the First(1866-1914,his reign),the first king of Romania,the man which transformed this nation and gain it's independence after the russo-turkish war between 1877-1878.

[@SkinnyEastBro]

as a non singaporean, he was and still is one of the greatest leaders in history. It's a shame that not many people know his name and story. he should be up there with napoleon, genghis khan, alexander, etc.

[@emilhuseynov6121]

Thank you so much for this episode, I have always wanted to see this for a long time

[@Black_Sun_Dark_Star]

Thank you. Having live thru his later years of his leadership, I will say I do not always agree with his strategy but I respected him 1000%.

[@sunway1374]

Thank you for your frankness. It's hard for me to respect a leader i disagree with, politically at least. I think I could respect him as a fellow human.

[@lucyfiniarel2347]

He spent his whole life dedicating his energy to his country. Growing up in Singapore under LKY made you feel safe. He was a shooter for sg from beginning to end. It’s hard to dislike a man like that.

[@multiyapples]

When you think of dictators you often hear how they often had people killed. Lee is one of the few you don’t have anything of that sorts.

[@terencehuang3810]

LKY is a visionary. He knew that only by having meritocracy and having people of all races, religion or languages as equal can a nation really prosper.

[@5bLucky]

Agree!! He is way way way ahead of other leaders in vision and executions.

[@SR-pr2xz]

While the video is quite good, you fail to communicate the delicate balance that Singapore had, when it was thrown out of the federation. You can't understand how great he was, if you don't understand how masterfully he managed the situation. The Malaysian royals wanted Singapore foricbly bought back in the fold (the Brits wanted to stay neutral), 70% of the civil service were Malays who had ethnic loyalties to Malaysia. There were race riots in both Malaysia and Singapore. Indonesia was in chaos with Suharto overthrowing Sukarno and subsequently landing troups in Malaysia to detract from the domestic politics of Indonesia. all the while the Vietnam War was going on and the yanks were trying to draw Singapore into supporting them. The CIA had tried to corrupt his security services in the 60s (and even again in the 80s). He couldn't goto the Brits and didn't want to be beholden to the yanks, so he turned to Israel because 70% chinese were surrounded by 200mil muslims. He was by all accounts a master chess player. Without understanding all these elements that he had to balance, it is hard to fully appreciate the magnitude of what he accomplished. By all accounts, i think he was a far greater leader than Churchhill. Churchhill had the support of the populace with a clear enemy. Singapore's enemies were all in the shadows and the population was not united against a common enemy. He had to unit the population first.

[@emixmim]

I've read some of his books, he was certainly an interesting man, and left behind a legacy, even if his methods weren't always moral. Would be cool if you did an expose on some of the rulers in the UAE who seem to have a similar approach.

[@lawriephillipasequeira8592]

what do you mean by 'moral'?

[@princesssupernova5300]

@@lawriephillipasequeira8592Morality is subjective. In the case of governing, all that matters is that progress is made.

[@lawriephillipasequeira8592]

@@princesssupernova5300 yes I agree

[@lawriephillipasequeira8592]

@@princesssupernova5300 yes I agree

[@PainRack]

@@lawriephillipasequeira8592 he did endorse a form of Social Darwinism by attributing climate to how Chinese and Malays act differently and intelligence etc, he was totalitarian and authoritarian, one of the world longest political prisoners happened under Lee (Chia Thye Poh) and he backstabbed the communists in order to take power. (He needed the BS and Communists control of the unions to win, once he won the elections, he did what he accussed the WP of and used Coldstore etc to lock up communist opponents in accordance with the Straits elite and British wishes. Which was what he claimed Lim would do . Well, technically, Lim DID do it, it's how Lee secured the communists aid because he secured their agitators and the left wing Asiatic radicals from jail.

[@livetill7136]

Calling LKY a dictator misses the point. His lieutenants like Goh Keng Swee, Rajaratam and so on, are highly capable and independent-minded people. Calling LKY a dictator is an insult to both LKY and the pioneering leaders. In the end, like LKY or not, the people of Singapore chose him and his government becoz they trusted him. LKY led a government that won the national elections with at least 60% of the votes throughout his 3 decades of political life. Do u still call that a dictator?

[@kojak1137]

Sure, PAP won all the time. But they always bent the rules in their favour, gerrymandering, grcs etc. And how to have free elections without a free press?

[@livetill7136]

@@kojak1137 Gerrymandering election results and manipulating speech via media, u mean? Don't you know that's the real politics in many democratic countries, including the US? Name me one government that does not use whatever in its disposal to win elections. .

[@tabbytabster]

Wanted to add that LKY could have died during the occupation. Japanese troops were rounding up chinese men and transporting them using trucks. When approached by them, he made up an excuse and used that to flee. No one on those trucks came home. LKY was very close to meeting the same fate.

[@Timholle]

It’s fated. He was meant to build a nation, wasn’t his time yet

[@alexandercarder2281]

Thank you for reposting ☺️

[@maryscott9430]

Yay!! Thank you for the rest of the video! This one was really interesting! I was sad when it just cut off yesterday!

[@sundars8638]

Very well covered and articulated video to bring out the history of Singapore in the last 70yrs and LKY who has been the brain and force behind that! He certainly stands out as a visionary leader different from the rest. Well done..!👍

[@markkoh888]

The greatest Godfather figure of all time! Under his govt/rule, there is not a single mafia can roam around freely in the island state, Unlike HK, Malaysia etc….

[@jeff__w]

Whatever one thinks of Lee Kuan Yew, he was incredibly successful on his own terms, in what he set out to do-which is more than you can say about most leaders.

[@mahenderansenthilkumar6842]

Having watched this channel for 2 years, I am finally happy to see my homeland founder recognised

[@dwchen1]

There are no perfect leader of a nation ever existed in history. But if you choose one who are the closest to the list of the best and most capable who delivered results Lee Kuan Yew is on top by a long shot compare to the second on the list whoever they are.

[@CharmEng89]

When you are a fledgling nation, you need a Father type, so to speak. The government could be described as incredibly paternalistic. It still kinda is. But now as we are maturing as a country, the government needs to change accordingly. Now we have money, education, safety and good international relations, we have the luxury to move beyond survival and towards introspection about what kind of nation we want to develop into. Almost like an adolescent figuring out who we are. We are beginning to question paternalistic ways of leadership and weighing up the pros and cons of certain freedoms and restrictions. But I think we must never forget how delicate a balance this is, the racial and religious peace that we (largely) enjoy, and the tough position we occupy on the international stage. We have no real clout - it's not like we can decide to close our doors and shut off exports - and must maintain good relations with other countries for survival, as we must import food, water, and fuel. His model was needed for what we were, but even he knew that it was not applicable for what we will become. Nevertheless, there are valuable lessons about keeping the peace that we must never forget. Public housing race quotas sound awfully restrictive, but I'd rather have that and get to know my neighbour as a human being, rather than live in some gated community in distrust of people who aren't like me. Not everyone will like it, but I believe some freedoms are worth giving up if it means that we'll be able to get along and live another day.

[@hlwanmoe1981]

He’s not a controversial founding father. He is a founding father. I lived in Singapore for 12 years and this country he built has enormous brighter future. He is a solid leader and statesman.

[@retsz]

So nice they posted it twice

[@camilohiche4475]

Biographies that you have criminally overlooked so far: Classical composers: - Ludwig van Beethoven - J.S. Bach - Antonio Vivaldi Gods/iconic figures: - Michael Jackson - Babe Ruth Chess legends: - Gary Kasparov - Bobby Fischer Painters: - Gustav Klimt - Marcel Duchamp Architects/builders: - Gustav Eiffel - Frank Lloyd Wright - Le Corbusier - Antonio Gaudi - Buckminster Fuller Writers: - Léon Tolstoï - Fiodor Dostoïevski - Homer - Sophocles - Victor Hugo - Jules Verne - Jorge Luis Borges - Miguel de Cervantes - John Steinbeck - Dante Alighieri Philosophers/theologists: - René Descartes - Confucius - Emmanuel Kant - John Locke - Voltaire - Jean Calvin Scientists: - Max Planck Dictators: - Nicolae Ceausescu - Manuel Noriega Explorers: - Zheng He - Vasco da Gama - John Cabot - Amerigo Vespucci - Hernán Cortés Other: - Anne Frank - Caterina de' Medici - Cesare Borgia

[@Boombastic82]

You missed 2pac, Pablo Escobar

[@hcgoh5777]

Thanks for relating the entire story of LKY in such a smooth and concise 25mins. Your points are largely fair and factual. I would not label LKY as a “dictator” or even a “benign dictator” at all. Doing so would degrade him to the level of the many true dictators in history. While he ruled with an iron fist (we needed that as a very small, young , multi-ethnic nation), we all have equal rights to vote him or PAP down during a General Election every 5 years. We have that choice. On balance, PAP has done a lot more good than bad for the country over the years. So why change the government for the sake of appearing “democratic”? No party or system is perfect. At most, LKY can be considered an Authoritarian. Without such a strong and brilliant character as the leader, we would not have achieved what we have over the years.

[@Bersilus]

vote? he gerrymandered to ensure his victory. and he jailed his political opponents for longer than Nelson mandela got locked up for.

[@vivekstreme1994]

silencing the oppisition and throwing them in prison for no reason is a trait of a dictator.

[@Giles20]

Had to be done at times.

[@khanhgiapham-mi4hg]

@@Giles20 fascist.

[@MaoistJohnWick]

He's a benevolent dictator (Google what it means)

[@cherubimcherubim9515]

Lee Kuan Yew one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century .

[@DadsSimpleMeals]

One of the best Bio Graphics videos you have done! I have lived in Singapore for over 30 years and I am very proud to call it home in no small part due to the legacy of LKY!

[@hrpang]

LKY is truly one of a kind. He was given a lot in life, he had faced a lot in life too. Somehow despite being Singapore's most powerful man, he used his iron fist to push Singapore out of its rut and into glory. He definitely was not perfect, but he was the best for the job.

[@Rubicon365]

He is only "controversial" in the eyes of the westerner. He is very much revered in this part of the world.

[@obscurifyed]

Don’t be delusional. He’s not entirely pure but in fact ruthless in his governing

[@GajendranSudharson]

As a Malaysian, Unfortunately for Malaysia, one of the best decisions Lee ever made was to take Singapore out of Malaysia. Just look at where Singapore is now compared to Malaysia. Singapore without any resources trumps Malaysia! There’s hardly corruption in Singapore compared to Malaysia. Malaysia and their bumiputra policy have driven Malaysia down so badly.

[@KeoNz]

It was not his decision to take Singapore out though. He agreed to it doesn't mean he wanted it.

[@danielyee9159]

WITHOUT LEE KUAN YEW SINGAPORE CANNOT BE WHAT IT IS TODAY. A GREAT LEADER WITH A GOOD VISION.

[@Kimmbaap]

Very well done for a 25min video. I'd recommend the memoirs he published for an in-depth view. LKY succeeded because us as citizens accepted that it was about our survival. Hence, we generally accepted his heavy-handedness in exchange for the improvement of our standards of living. Similar to how we trade-off a little privacy for security nowadays with the police cameras everywhere. He was also able to stay in power for so long because we were satisfied with the meteoric rise of our nation. The separation from Malaysia were due to multiple issues; Taxes, Visions, Racial composition of Malaysia, etc. Both Malaya and Singapore agreed not to campaign to each other peoples, however that promise was not kept. Tunku Abdul Rahman once saw LKY holding a rally in Malaya speaking English, Chinese and Malay. The Tunku realised then that LKY was dangerous towards his vision of a Malay Malaysia as he could appeal towards both Chinese and Malays. Being quadrilingual was the straw that broke the camel's back (LKY memoirs). LKY was admired by both Margaret Thatcher and Deng Xiaoping because he was able to do what seem like the impossible to them, combining both views to create a unique society called Singapore. Deng Xiaoping was so impressed that he sent "follow-ups", leading to the opening up of China in 1979. LKY stepped down after the 2011 election because he felt he had lost touch with the political scene. The approval ratings dropped to its lowest level after the public reacted badly to his comments, during campaigning, on voters who support the opposition. He realised the public now was of a different generation who did not react well to his abrasive campaigning style. Sir Stamford Raffles may have a statue for founding modern Singapore but Lee Kuan Yew's statue is Singapore herself.

[@siliconiusantogramaphantis2122]

I love this. Lee Kuan Yew's statue is Singapore itself.

[@DD-sr9xm]

Singapore of course is a huge success and his son Lee Hsien Loong has been a great leader as well. But any criticism of LKY has to be considered in context. In context of it’s time, in context of the alternatives, in context of the unique circumstances of Singapore. People like to say of Singapore that the ends justify the means but those means are easily justifiable when context is fully assessed.

[@busymangaming1975]

He is not a controversial person at all. Only called so by overly harsh western critics that are not being fair. His contribution to his country and to the whole world is so significant, the world would be a much darker place today without him. He set a standard for other political leaders in the world to follow. Indirectly he improves everyones lives. More directly, Singapore was the model in which modern Chinese government based themselves in. China manage to pull its vast population out of poverty, the largest improvement in standard of living for the most amount of people in the whole history of the world.

[@jpggfg]

It would be a grave mistake to approach LKY from any ideological point of view. He can only be understood and judged by the circumstances Singapore found herself in in 1965 and the methods LKY applied to elevate Singapore. So, to speak of him as though he was an "authoritarian" or "a benevolent dictator" - these are descriptions from a Western frame of mind, of which LKY (and, Asia) is not. I like his advice to the Filipino leaders in 1992: What you need is not democracy but discipline. Can a Western mind fathom that without tainting its understanding with its ideology?

[@victorkrum4010]

I applaud LKY as despite his harshness, he was fair. No country.not even Greece, Rome, the USA, England, Japan or China have created successful economies without at least a few incidents of favoring one group over another.

[@Felisquoreda]

Thank you for the re upload!

[@josephshen-xu9198]

He isnt controversial, he is well loved in singapore and east asian nations. Only people in western media question him, and its mostly just hypocritical nitpicking and bias.

[@2beez97]

Seeing this video i now understand the tough balancing act that Lee had to pull off. Man literally had to absolutely deny any form of what he would deem mediocrity and only accept the best of every pursuit the country undertook to make. This had to come at a cost of his image because of the methods he employed, but ultimately he had the vision and executed upon it absolutely without hesitation.

[@dingaroo2003]

Singapore needed him when we started out on Day 1 of our Independence. Many have placed praises and also criticisms ta his feet. Nonetheless, he might not work for other nations but his style of leadership was what we needed.

[@ptpetrinko642]

As a singaporean, thank you for making this video ❤

[@joeroganpodfantasy42]

Lee Kuan Yaw has given me comfort that the international stage is not chaos , if you are smart you can navigate it safely . With the back drop of the Ukraine war it feels like the only solution is war and total war but it's not true. Out of 20th century we see a change in world history suddenly the greatest most respected leader in the world wasn't one that conquered the most land it was one who managed to create a rich and sovereign country respected by the biggest superpowers in the world China USA and UK.