Listen and read

Step into an infinite world of stories

  • Read and listen as much as you want
  • Over 950 000 titles
  • Exclusive titles + Storytel Originals
  • Easy to cancel anytime
Try now
image.devices-Singapore 2x

PAP v PAP: The Party’s struggle to adapt to a changing Singapore

22 Ratings

4.6

Duration
7H 17min
Language
English
Format
Category

Non-Fiction

Singapore appears to be transitioning gradually to a more competitive and contentious democracy. For now, though, the People’s Action Party still controls all the levers of power. The PAP’s internal dynamics will be the primary determinant of its continued viability. This anthology of essays expands on one dimension of this inner struggle: between a conservative attachment to what worked in the past, and a boldly progressive vision for the future.

The authors argue that a reformed PAP — comfortable with political competition and more committed to justice and equality — would be good for Singapore, and serve the long-term interests of the party. An adaptive PAP, buttressed with stronger democratic legitimacy, would also maintain one of Singapore’s most important strengths: a strong consensus on the virtues of an expert-led, elite government. Only by strengthening democratic practices and norms can Singapore maintain its edge in a world pulled apart by identity politics, populist nationalism and nativism, and an erosion of trust in public institutions.

About the Authors

Cherian George is professor of media studies at Hong Kong Baptist University, and associate dean for research at its School of Communication. His previous books on Singapore include Air-Conditioned Nation Revisited (2020) and Freedom From the Press: Journalism and State Power in Singapore (2012). He worked as a political journalist for The Straits Times in the 1990s before pursuing his PhD in communication from Stanford University.

Donald Low is senior lecturer and professor of practice in public policy at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the director of the university’s Institute for Emerging Market Studies, and the director of Leadership and Public Policy Executive Education. He is the author of Hard Choices: Challenging the Singapore Consensus (2014). Before joining academia, he served nearly 15 years in the Singapore government.

PRAISE FOR PAP v PAP

“A book written with eagle-eyed clarity about much-needed reforms in the Singapore political system. A must-read for anyone genuinely concerned about the future of Singapore.” — Remy Choo Zheng Xi, lawyer and civil society activist.

“You can disagree with the content but you cannot, in good faith, fault them for their clear intention to keep the discussion as academic, civil and respectful as possible. They identify themselves with ‘liberal’ and ‘progressive’ views — which will provoke others to view them through the lens of contempt. The language of contempt has already entered into our political conversation, but my hope is that we are not so far gone in partisan politics that we cannot still find it in ourselves to take off the lens of contempt and try on the lens of sincere respect again.” — Kuik Shiao-Yin, former Nominated Member of Parliament and co-founder of The Thought Collective.

“PAP v. PAP is a forensic and fascinating collection on Singapore’s future policy dilemmas, from two of its most thoughtful and challenging thinkers. Produced in a spirit of constructive criticism and written in an easy accessible style, it makes for invaluable reading for anyone interested in Asia’s greatest economic success story — and indeed for the future political economy of Asia itself.” — James Crabtree, author of The Billionaire Raj.

© 2020 by Cherian George and Donald Low. Published in paper format in Singapore by Cherian George and Donald Low, recorded by Storyside 2020.

© 2020 Storyside (Audiobook): 9789180130356
© 2020 Cherian George; Donald Low (Ebook): 9789811489488

Release date

Audiobook: 2 December 2020
Ebook: 23 November 2020

Others also enjoyed ...

  1. The First Wave: JBJ, Chiam & the Opposition in Singapore Loke Hoe Yeong
  2. Tall Order: The Goh Chok Tong Story Volume 1 Peh Shing Huei
  3. Up Close with Lee Kuan Yew - Insights from colleagues and friends Various authors
  4. The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race Walter Isaacson
  5. Homeless Liyana Dhamirah
  6. Journey in Blue: A Peek into the Workers' Party of Singapore Yee Jenn Jong
  7. Reluctant Editor PN Balji
  8. The Emperor of All Maladies Siddhartha Mukherjee
  9. This Is What Inequality Looks Like Teo You Yenn
  10. Death of a Perm Sec Wong Souk Yee
  11. George Yeo on Bonsai, Banyan and the Tao Asad-Ul Iqbal Latif
  12. The Gate to China: A New History of the People’s Republic & Hong Kong Michael Sheridan
  13. Diary of an Expat in Singapore Jennifer Gargiulo
  14. Mindfulness in 8 Days Kathirasan K
  15. Let The People Have Him, Chiam See Tong: The Early Years Loke Hoe Yeong
  16. The Community Cat Chronicles Lachlan Madsen
  17. Scarlet Harlot Gerrie Lim
  18. Impractical Uses of Cake Yeoh Jo-Ann
  19. 17A Keong Saik Road Charmaine Leung
  20. Ten Things My Father Never Taught Me and Other Stories Cyril Wong
  21. Larger than Life: Celebrating the Human Spirit Belinda Lee
  22. Malay Sketches Alfian Sa'at
  23. Fear: Trump in the White House Bob Woodward
  24. Harris bin Potter and the Stoned Philosopher Suffian Hakim
  25. This Is Where I Won't Be Alone Inez Tan
  26. Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China Ezra F. Vogel
  27. State of Emergency Jeremy Tiang
  28. Joe Biden: The Life, the Presidency, and What Matters Now Evan Osnos
  29. The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir John Bolton

Features:

  • Over 950 000 titles

  • Kids Mode (child safe environment)

  • Download books for offline access

  • Cancel anytime

Most popular

Unlimited

For those who want to listen and read without limits.

S$12.98 /month
3 days for free
  • 1 account

  • Unlimited Access

  • Unlimited listening

  • Cancel anytime

Try now

Unlimited Bi-yearly

For those who want to listen and read without limits.

S$69 /6 months
14 days for free
Save 11%
  • 1 account

  • Unlimited Access

  • Unlimited listening

  • Cancel anytime

Try now

Unlimited Yearly

For those who want to listen and read without limits.

S$119 /year
14 days for free
Save 24%
  • 1 account

  • Unlimited Access

  • Unlimited listening

  • Cancel anytime

Try now

Family

For those who want to share stories with family and friends.

From S$14.90/month
  • 2-3 accounts

  • Unlimited Access

  • Unlimited listening

  • Cancel anytime

2 accounts

S$14.90 /month
Try now