Singapore : unlikely power

John Curtis Perry

Why I looked at this book

Singapore seems to be an example of a nation 'pulling itself up by its bootstraps', that is achieving wealth from a state of unrest and poverty. Hence it is well worth studying to understand how this was achieved Can other nations emulate it, or is it due to unique situation, or maybe some feel the authoritarian nature is too high a cost or not applicable elsewhere. I'm hoping that this book will provide answers to such questions

First impressions

The introduction starts by telling of author's links to Singapore, then the remarkable economic success of Singapore in recent decades. It then gets on to the historical origins of Singapore, showing that the geographical position meant that it was an ideal place for trading. The approach seems to be to highlight how the region's history links to its current success. I prefer this approach as I am looking for a discussion of how Singapore got where it did, rather than a historical work.