Can Singapore Fall?

Making the Future for Singapore

Lim Siong Guan, Singapore's former Head of Civil Service (1999–2005) was the Institute of Policy Studies' 4th S R Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore. This book contains edited versions of the three IPS-Nathan Lectures he gave between September and November 2017, and highlights of his dialogue with the audience.

Lim addresses the question, "Can Singapore Fall?", by examining the state of Singapore today and proposing what Singapore and Singaporeans must do in order to prevent economic and social decline. Taking inspiration from Sir John Glubb's essay, The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival, Lim urges Singaporeans to counter decline by observing the "three legs of honour": Trust, Diversity, and Excellence. These include becoming a gracious society and building up a culture of innovation, excellence and outwardness.

Lim also reminds us that cultural change takes a generational effort to effect; for change to happen, Singaporeans must thus act with urgency and act now for the well-being of future generations.

The IPS-Nathan Lectures series was launched in 2014 as part of the S R Nathan Fellowship for the Study of Singapore. The S R Nathan Fellow delivers a series of lectures during their term to advance public understanding and discussion of issues of critical national interest.

Contents:

• Content Page
• About the S R Nathan Fellowship and the IPS-Nathan Lectures
• Foreword
• Lecture I — The Accidental Nation
• Lecture II — The Fourth Generation
• Lecture III — The Way of Hope

Readership: General public, professionals, students, researchers, diplomats, and foreign visitors interested in knowing more about Singapore and what lies ahead for the city-state.
Key Features:

• Books that consider Singapore's position and future often end up being too deliberative, with little recommendation of action for people to take. By comparison, this book contains a strong practical element in urging citizens to take action. The delivered lectures had indeed garnered heartfelt reactions from Singaporeans, both young and old
• This books offers a holistic view of Singapore's future prospects. It talks about the "hard" aspects of national survival and the need for innovation, as well as the "soft" aspects of values and a "gracious society"
• It raises questions on Singapore's long-term viability from an insider's perspective, exploring the underbelly of Singapore's social and economic challenges and contradictions, in a way that an international observer is unlikely to uncover. Too much of lessons on Singapore has been about the past; this book is about lessons for the future