Parties and politics : a study of opposition parties and PAP in Singapore / Hussin Mutalib.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hussin Mutalib, 1949-

Series:

Politics & international relations

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Opposition (Political science)--Singapore.

Opposition (Political science).

Political parties--Singapore.

Political parties.

Singapore--Politics and government.

Singapore.

Politics and government.

Physical Description:

xv, 431 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Singapore ; New York : Eastern Universities Press, 2003.

Summary:

Mutalib (political science, National U. of Singapore) primarily investigates why opposition parties in Singapore, in spite of securing substantial electoral support since the 1980s, still perform a tangential role in the country. However, he draws a wider political map to set the context, and uses the study to cast light on the nature of the political system, the ideology and worldview of the ruling PAP elite, the types and modalities of governance, and political culture. Eastern Universities Press is an imprint of Times Media Private Ltd. Distributed in the US by ISBS. Annotation 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Contents:

List 1 Singapore's Political History, 1819-2003 xiii

List 2 Singapore's Political Parties xv

Part 1 Introduction: Singapore's Political System and Democratic Culture 1

Chapter 1 Opposition Politics in a Dominant One-Party System 3

Singapore's Political System 7

Part 2 The Historical Context: Singapore Politics Before 1965 35

Chapter 2 Early Parties and the PAP

From Opposition to Government 37

Colonial Rule and Labour Front Government 37

The PAP

From Opposition to Government 44

Part 3 Singapore's Opposition Parties: Case Studies of Four Parties 71

Chapter 3 Barisan Sosialis: From Formidable Opposition to Oblivion 73

Formative Years 73

Reasons for Decline 96

Chapter 4 Workers' Party: A Party Denied Workers' Support 119

Formative Years under Marshall (1957-1970) 120

The Second Phase under J.B. Jeyaretnam (1971-2001) 131

Reasons for Decline 152

Chapter 5 Singapore Democratic Party: From Accommodation to Confrontation 166

Formative Years and Early Leadership 166

Reasons for Decline 183

Chapter 6 Singapore Malays National Organisation (PKMS): A Malay-Minority Party in a Chinese-Majority State 199

Formative Years and Early Leadership 200

Reasons for Decline 212

Part 4 Impediments to a Viable Opposition in Singapore 235

Chapter 7 Affluence and Effective Government Versus Weaknesses of Opposition Parties 239

Government's Deliverance of Economic Prosperity 240

The Contrast: Opposition's Weaknesses 253

Chapter 8 Systemic Impediments and Regulation of Key Institutions of State Apparatus 271

Systemic Impediments 271

Regulation of Key Institutions 285

Chapter 9 Shifting Rules of the Game 324

Changes to Constitution and Election Laws 324

Chapter 10 "Caution Syndrome" and "Subject" Political Culture 352

"Caution Syndrome" 353

"Subject" Political Culture 358

Part 5 Conclusion: Future Prospects for Opposition Parties 369

Chapter 11 Opposition Parties in Singapore: A Sisyphean Future? 371

Prospects for Singapore's Opposition Parties 372

Singapore's Future Political System 380.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 404-422) and index.

ISBN:

981210268X

9812102116

OCLC:

52121407