To install StudyMoose App tap and then “Add to Home Screen”
Save to my list
Remove from my list
How important is a sense of history in shaping the future of Singapore's society? Singapore is without a doubt, a diversified nation with many different cultures and races. Contrary to the popular belief of difference leading to antagonism, Singapore is perhaps one of the few countries globally to welcome people despite their variable backgrounds and still remain collectively competitive. Indeed, credit is due to Singapore's society past or present, had been seen to be shaped with a strong sense of history in mind, in order for the country to progress for the past 4 decades.
This development has proven to be of utmost priority in the society moving forward, taking into consideration our multi-diversified nation with a myriad of cultures and races of the population, to the separation with Malaysia and, with us, and the unsavouring aspects of previous modes of governance.
It has definitely help served as a guiding light for constituents in Singapore's society to embark on future endeavours, socially, economically and politically.
With the current goal of hitting a 6. 9million strong population, the government certainly has to ensure that Singapore is able to retain its own dynamic core of those of which are born and bred here locally, while embracing new immigrants to reach the parameter.
Verified writer
Proficient in: Future
4.8 (309)
“ Writer-marian did a very good job with my paper, she got straight to the point, she made it clear and organized ”
With that in mind, having a sense of history may allow Singapore in attaining their targetted population number size without leaving any individual out, based on how it has managed previously with its population and interest groups.
Many locals have expressed their disapproval to the government's way of increasing the population size by liberalizing in terms of the immigrants policies.
To that, the government has thoughtfully planned their policies such that it allows optimal interaction among the people in the Singapore society. After the upsetting Mariah Hertogh riot in the 1960s, it had certainly left the Singapore population a deep impression and a take-away lesson that parties of varying culture did not have enough knowledge about one's culture, and was intolerant to the opposite dissimilar parties.
On looking back on the Maria Hertogh's incident and other equally riots that hurt the society socially, it enables the society to reflect upon their ignorant and selfish minds to adopt an embracing mind to the different races and cultures in the society. Today, the story of Maria Hertogh and its valuable take-away lessons are a part of curriculum to the students in
Singapore's education system, to allow them to have this opportunity to have knowledge of the past and hopefully not let history repeat again by looking back on how detrimental such riots due to the disagreements in different races and cultures, Therefore, with a sense of history deters the society from breaking out into repurcussions of unnecessary conflicts between the races and cultures in Singapore. However, that may not be necessarily the essential driving factor in gearing Singapore's future to be socially stable in its entirety.
Singapore has progressed from a small-scale kampong to be a first world developing nation today with an arguably negligible history of about 50 years, that has made her name famous globally for the achievements it has attained thus far. A wise man once said, ' Change is the only constant' which implies that the applicability of the history of Singapore may not be applicable in contemporary terms any longer. With change being the only constant, some are doubtful that a sense of history is still important to shaping our country's future.
In addition, given that the riots that broke out were not based on our past history, some may argue that there is no purpose in referring to history in Singpaore's context. In my opinion, detractors have missed the point somewhat, regarding thhe value of history. With both conflicting contentions in mind, it remains clear that a sense of history may not ultimately be the essential driving factor to enable Singapore to reach greater heights in the future, but it certainly has its essence to deliver as well.
More importantly, by having a sense of history in mind, it restrains the society from performing any actions once done in the past and was condemned upon. It is thankful that after the Maria Hertogh riots, Singapore has been celebrating Racial Harmony Day to congregate the various cultures and races together as one and videos of how detrimental riots can be to Singapore, are always played in institutions to prevent any similiar circumstances from happening.
Singapore's leaders, being role models, will also don on the multi-racial costumes and celebrate racial harmony day with different races. This highlights the importance of which having a sense of history can do to propel a nation away from their unwanted past. Also, it holds considerable significance for Singapore to have a sense of history especially when it comes to nation-building and collective ownership. Gone are the days where Singapore have to succumb to the demands of then Malaya when we were merged as one. Almost all resources ere cut off immediately upon the separation between Singapore and Malaysia. This certainly jerked Singapore, the young and adolescent country from breaking free from its infancy rate of development, and exposed her to the harsh and cruel world where countries would not trade without any terms being compromised on. After the separation, Singapore was left to fend for herself, with no free natural resources to begin with. Singapore then worked hard on building from scratch on ground zero, in order to sustain the economy for its people.
A lesson learnt from the history has taught us not to be complacent without any contigency plans in mind which has certainly brought us far today as it is a remarkable feat that a country once abandoned has now transformed to a better one than it's surrounding and more resource-rich peers. The history of little help from her peers, has definitely help motivated Singapore to be self-reliant today and therefore is important in shaping her future economically in the long run.
On the other hand, Singapore's future ultimately depends from the help it can manage to get as well. The small little dot would not be able to make it thus far, if without the help of certain laudable aid along the way which arguably does not come from having a sense of history in mind, but more of the collective and rational economic interest. With the advent of globalization today, Singapore has to keep up with its peers by constantly striving to sustain its economy for its people and be globally competitive in terms of trading of goods and services.
Without any natural resources to begin with, a sense of history therefore, only blurs national boundaries to exchanging trade for bilateral benefits which is of no advantage in the long run. Hence, this epitomizes that having a sense of history may not be an essential factor in shaping Singapore's future as one should have a broad heart and view things from a larger perspective especially so when it is a country's stake at mind.
In contemplation to the varying notions then, it is more convinced that Singapore can not shape its future to become a first world developed nation with a strong and robust economy if without the help of external aid to boost its progress. History alone, may seem to be important as it reminds us the gloomy days where people did not have a better standard of living as compared to today but does not justify for its actions in shifting the nation up to a higher level as it only acts to widen the gap between bilateral relations.
It may not aid us in making rational decisions if we constantly have history at the back of our minds as well. Most importantly, our sense of history has evidently, proven to be a good source of good governance in Singapore's society which helps us be generally free of bribery, corruptions and flawed polices, as least on comparision to other nations. Singapore has sworn by the motto of placing its people in its focus even with somewhat radical policies, and this apparently borrows from the large repository of history to achieve this objective.
Historically-naive policies like the Graduate Mothers' Scheme has unmistakenly proven to be a mistake and forewarns subsequent governments that not all polices implemented will be a guranteed success unless it has been tested and proven by the colletive experience of history. Hence such flawed policy like the aforementioned, serves as a constant reminder to the government that the political stability can be adversely affected if such a thing were to happen again. Given that the series of events have occurred in the past then, Singapore can leaverage on emphasized values to inform a sense of history onto the population.
It may be true that Singapore may not be able to improve for the betterment of its future, but it can still have the values consolidated from its history, and ascribe to that to its next nation's aim. In conclusion, having a sense of history ultimately steers Singapore to having a better future as the society is able to mark out the actions that were wrongfully made in the past. This gives a clear indicator of how the society should work towards their direction to any objective and finally a better future for the nation wholly.
The Role of History in Shaping Singapore's Future Society. (2020, Jun 02). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/important-sense-history-shaping-future-singapores-society-new-essay
👋 Hi! I’m your smart assistant Amy!
Don’t know where to start? Type your requirements and I’ll connect you to an academic expert within 3 minutes.
get help with your assignment
