Prime
Transformers: Lee Kuan Yew’s formula for building a nation
Singapore’s founding father and longest-serving Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- It is interesting to observe how Lee’s mind worked. Much of what he did was just common sense – but it’s remarkable to see how uncommon common sense truly is. Without thinking critically, it is not easy to appreciate the right lessons from Singapore.
He is regarded as history’s greatest nation-builder. Margaret Thatcher called him “never wrong”. Henry Kissinger praised him as one of the most insightful leaders of the 20th century. Deng Xiaoping even sent 40,000 Chinese officials to learn from his methods. This is Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s founding father and longest-serving Prime Minister.
Born in 1923, Lee’s early years were shaped by the Great Depression, British colonialism, and Japanese occupation. Lee learnt the necessity of planning for the good and bad times. As a top student, he left Singapore for the UK, where he excelled at Cambridge, earning a first-class law degree in under three years.
But Lee’s true passion was politics, where he used his towering intellect and determination to drive Singapore’s meteoric rise. When he stepped down in 1990, GDP per capita had soared from $516 in 1965 to over $55,000. He transformed Singapore into a global city-state known for modern architecture, efficient governance, and a disciplined society.
When you examine the biographies of modern world leaders, few are as well-rounded as Lee was. The man excelled at so many things, therefore, it is difficult to pinpoint one thing that really made him tick. While I admire him as a consummate pragmatist, if pressed, I guess I would have to mention ‘excellence’ as his core leadership attribute.
Excellence in all aspects of governance was at the heart of Lee’s leadership. He was adamant that Singapore could only succeed if it maintained the highest governance standards. Critics consider the Singapore Lee produced a ‘nanny state’. Chewing gum, not flushing a public toilet, or crossing the road at an undesignated place can attract hefty fines. But, for Lee, leadership meant shaping society with precision and care.
And that is why Lee placed such a premium on excellence in education. He was so invested in education that, as Prime Minister, he once took over the Ministry of Education to drive for changes. Hence, Singapore invested heavily in education, creating a culture that prized intellectual rigour and practical skills. Today, Singaporean students are consistently ranked at the top of global assessments in mathematics, science, and literacy.
Public service was also sacred. Civil servants were expected to serve with integrity, competence, and a deep sense of duty. High standards were set, and those who fell short were replaced, regardless of their positions and connections. Lee’s intolerance for mediocrity ensured that only the most capable individuals were entrusted with the country’s future.
For Lee, excellence was non-negotiable. He insisted on doing everything better than anyone else. He demanded meritocracy at every level. Under his leadership, Singapore modernised rapidly, driven by top talent, high standards, and tough decisions. Every policy was crafted for maximum impact, and today, the island hosts around 40,000 international corporations as proof that Singapore works.
It is interesting to observe how Lee’s mind worked. Much of what he did was just common sense – but it’s remarkable to see how uncommon common sense truly is. Without thinking critically, it is not easy to appreciate the right lessons from Singapore.
In 2017, Olusegun Obasanjo and Greg Mills published a paper called ‘Why Singapore Works’ to help Africans assimilate the right lessons from Singapore. The authors provided 10 lessons, including ‘globalise not nationalise’, ‘the role of government is not to do business but make it easy to do business’, ‘build institutions’, and ‘employ the best and the brightest’. Readers will do well to review that paper.
Again, these are very commonsensical ideas. However, today, many of us still haven’t grasped that a low-paying job is better than no job, that bashing aid rather than using aid is dumb, that mass education cannot transform a nation, that international relations is a tool, and, well, we should use English. Lee’s genius was to see what everyone saw but failed to comprehend.
Excellence is not just about intelligence, it’s about a relentless pursuit of the highest standards in every aspect. Leaders need a correct view of reality and the discipline to create a vision aligned with it. Lee exemplified those traits, leading to Singapore’s success.
Leaders with high IQs, strong educational backgrounds, and proven problem-solving skills have historically been able to drive their nations toward success. Generals in the US Armed Forces have an average IQ of 130 and above. Deng Xiaoping transformed China. Franklin Roosevelt steered the US through the Great Depression and WW2. Mediocrity isn’t a recipe for transformative leadership.
Tanzania, like Singapore in 1965, faces significant challenges. However, the key difference lies in our culture of governance. We don’t get it: what is so mysterious about employing the best and brightest, sending top students to world-class universities, recruiting the brightest as teachers, and so on? Astonishingly, some of our most strategic institutions have never been led by a degree holder since independence!
Excellence is leadership. You don’t settle. You consistently pursue higher standards. But how can you pursue standards that you can’t even see in your mind? How can you commit to their attainment if you abhor all systems of accountability? Surely, we can learn a thing or two from the grandmaster, Lee Kuan Yew.
