In the past, before 2002, as Prof. Tyler Cowen wrote in his book ?Discover Your Inner Economist?, he mentioned that the United Nations diplomats enjoyed legal immunity for any parking tickets they incur when they are on their missions to the United States. Canadian, Irish, Dutch, British m Japanese, Norwegian and Swedish diplomats had no unpaid parking tickets over the 5 years before this legal immunity was removed. However, in 5 years, Kuwaiti diplomats incur 246 unpaid parking violations per diplomat, whereas the next nine worst violators were poor Asian or African countries. They do not respect the law. Perhaps this is due to stability.
Singapore is a relatively stable country, where the rule of the law is paramount, and responsibility is paramount. The government is seen as morally legitimate mostly, so most Singaporeans obey laws, and do not perceive fire hydrant as a nuisance, not a good that is good for the community.
In my opinion, I think a morally legitimate government should make the society more inclusive and more broad-based, by extending benefits to the people of Singapore. I think Singapore should implement a compulsory education system for at least 12 years. All technical institutions, high schools, secondary schools and primary schools should be part of a national education system, where students attend for free, at least, in public or state-supported schools. I thought it would improve Singaporeans? skills needed for the New Economy, no?
Then a friend said, more education just means more suffering, and education has to look after the needs of the disadvantaged. If it creates more torture for the disadvantaged, he sees no reason to support an extended free public education system.
I really think a stable society, where it welcomes diversity of views and opinion, would do well for Singapore. My friend?s worries of ?torture? should be a non-issue.
However, I really worry for those societies which are really not too stable. They need working institutions to make sure the law works for them. They need to work for the good of the people, not just a small group of elites. They need social mobility, to keep the country?s system humming smoothly.
This is why everything we do, we do keep the system. We should encourage social mobility and trust ? not reduce them.
Singapore is a relatively stable country, where the rule of the law is paramount, and responsibility is paramount. The government is seen as morally legitimate mostly, so most Singaporeans obey laws, and do not perceive fire hydrant as a nuisance, not a good that is good for the community.
In my opinion, I think a morally legitimate government should make the society more inclusive and more broad-based, by extending benefits to the people of Singapore. I think Singapore should implement a compulsory education system for at least 12 years. All technical institutions, high schools, secondary schools and primary schools should be part of a national education system, where students attend for free, at least, in public or state-supported schools. I thought it would improve Singaporeans? skills needed for the New Economy, no?
Then a friend said, more education just means more suffering, and education has to look after the needs of the disadvantaged. If it creates more torture for the disadvantaged, he sees no reason to support an extended free public education system.
I really think a stable society, where it welcomes diversity of views and opinion, would do well for Singapore. My friend?s worries of ?torture? should be a non-issue.
However, I really worry for those societies which are really not too stable. They need working institutions to make sure the law works for them. They need to work for the good of the people, not just a small group of elites. They need social mobility, to keep the country?s system humming smoothly.
This is why everything we do, we do keep the system. We should encourage social mobility and trust ? not reduce them.
