Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's founding father and outstanding statesman, has created a "Singapore model" that has long been known all over the world. If you go back to 1963, Lee Kuan Yew could not have imagined that he would eventually be swept out of the Country by the Federation of Malaysia. On August 9, 1965, Singapore Radio abruptly canceled the broadcast of popular songs, and then played a 90-word declaration that changed Singapore and Asia, and Singapore was forced to choose independence.
When Singapore became independent, it had a total population of 2 million, a per capita GDP of only $450, and the backbone of the economy was the center of entrepot trade. However, with the end of World War II, the British army withdrew, and Singapore's economy deteriorated. Lee Kuan Yew is well aware that Singapore must change this unitary economic situation. Lee Kuan Yew and his staff chose to open up to the outside world and did everything they could to attract foreign investment.
Through foreign investment, technology, talent, markets and management are introduced, and even English is used as the official language to embrace the West with an open mind. Lee Kuan Yew said: "Our responsibility is to provide livelihoods for 2 million people in Singapore. If multinational corporations can get our workers into paid jobs and teach them skills, engineering and management skills, we should win them over. ”
Lee Kuan Yew enjoyed the status of father of the nation in Singapore, he monopolized power and no one could challenge his position. Even opponents have to admit that it was Lee Kuan Yew who single-handedly built Singapore, a small, resource-poor country, into a veritable country. Lee Kuan Yew's hard-core character as a statesman impressed the world, and the New York Times commented that he "had a broad worldview, was discerning and condescending."
However, in his later years, Lee Kuan Yew began to worry about the fate of Singapore. In 2013, Lee Kuan Yew admitted in his new book "Lee Kuan Yew's View of the World" that Singapore is facing a serious problem that he cannot solve. Lee Kuan Yew's exact words were, "If I had to name what issues are the greatest threat to Singapore's survival, I think it would be a population issue." I can't solve this problem, and I have long given up, I give it to the next generation, hoping that they will finally find a way out. ”
Why does Lee Kuan Yew say that the population problem is the most serious problem in Singapore? Because the birth rate of newborns in Singapore has been falling continuously. As one of the fastest-aging countries in Asia, Singapore has been trying to solve this problem, but with little success. According to the data, the proportion of the elderly population over 65 years old in Singapore reached 9.3% of the total population in 2011.
The low fertility rate will inevitably lead to the continuous intensification of aging. The usual international view is that when a country or region has an elderly population over the age of 60, or an elderly population over the age of 65 accounts for 7% of the total population, it means that the population of that country or region is in an aging society.
From the above point of view, Singapore is already an aging country, and the declining baby birth rate has further exacerbated this situation. The immediate threat of an ageing population is that socio-economic activity will be drastically reduced. So, Lee Kuan Yew's fears are indeed justified.
Reference: Lee Kuan Yew's View of the World