Just a scenario which somehow points my tiny dot island to a socialist/communist plus capitalist type of an economy but is this something we really want?
Capitalism - Where free market dictates the economy, and anyone can get rich leaving to economic forces. Where democracy is based on the principles of consent and political equality. Freedom of choice in everything from playboy magazines to choosing a minority as a Head of State, but you pay your own house, take care of your own medical bills etc.
Communism aka State Capitalism - Social welfare where everybody shares everything. Government takes care of its people, provides housing, jobs, healthcare, education, burial plots etc. But in the downside Government controls your life, your thoughts, your love life etc.
Comparing these 2 system and looking back at Singapore where many have declared it as a authoritarian capitalist state. Somehow we should come in between the 2 systems right? We have a few good white men who decides for us while we have a somewhat free market.
Why is it that our market here is somewhat free? We have state-owned or GLCs companies with our Mint being controlled by the Govt while our 2 state investment arms are controlled by the family members of the Prime Minister of the Govt. Somehow, one would think, ain't it not right? Something funny is going on there. But as usual, the state media spin and apathy of the people allows it to go on.
Singapore aka authoritarian-capitalism - So we do not get freedom of choice as publications get banned off the island, everything media is controlled by SPH and Mediacorp both GLCs. We pay for our own homes though it is public housing, as we compete with PRs who are responsible for 40% of the housing transactions of late, pushing up the HDB prices to record highs and of course, finally clearing that 5 year unoccupied 2nd floor, facing the rubbish chute Woodlands flat. We have few rich civil servants spinning off in state media about the 50K family french cooking lessons. Effectively less than 50% of the citizens get to vote. We gets means testing and we might have to send our aged parents to another country for care.
Hmm...so I get no freedom, no democracy, no choices in many things and I pay for expensive public housing and the multitude of taxes from ERPs to radio and TV licenses. And if I stay in a opposition ward, I cannot get my elected MP to tell me I am finally getting a LUP after waiting for donkeys years despite my 40 days reservist requirements and I still freaking pay taxes. Now to make matters worse, we even have our own 2 GLC-linked cable operators bidding for EPL raising my expenses further - those British must be laughing their heads off.
Somehow I do not see any good in this system. Can I opt out without being called a quitter?
