How did the British govern Singapore

before World War II?

What is Government?

• What is government?

• What is the role of a government?

A Government• A group of people who have the political power to

make and enforce laws and policies for a country or area.

• The government is expected to:– Maintain law and order– Make sure that the basic needs of the people are met,

improve social services for the people: education, health, housing, etc.

– Provide the infrastructure: transportation, roads, street lamps, etc.

– Ensure that there is revenue for the above to be carried out.

Singapore: From Straits Settlements to Crown Colony

• (10 mins) Fill in your graph with information from p. 59 of your textbook.

• Crown colony (any ideas?): • Any British colony that is under the direct

legislative control of the Crown and does not possess its own system of representative government.

British Administration from 1867 - 1942 p60

British Government in London (Colonial Office)

Responsible for British colonies around the world.

Governor of the SS

-Represented the king/queen of Great Britain.

-Assisted by an Executive Council and a Legislative Council.

-Had veto powers which means he could stop the passing of laws.

Executive Council

-Governor

-Officer commanding troops in the Straits

-6 High-ranking Br officials.

Legislative Council

- Executive Council.

- 4 non-official members: Asian and European traders.

-Helped government make laws.

Legislative Council

Executive Council

8 British

Non-official members

4 Asian & European

traders

Few locals were involved in the government!What do you think were the implications for these locals

in the Legislative Council who want to make or pass new laws?

How were the locals involved in

the government? • Non-official members were angry at this unequal

representation of power and put pressure on government to increase the number of non-official members.

• The number was increased over the years and in 1924, the number of non-official members were equal to the official members in the Legislative Council.

• Locals initiated laws - Eunos Abdullah’s call for a large piece of land for a Malay settlement was approved.

What did we learn today?• Singapore: from Straits Settlements to Crown Colony

• Structure of British administration in Singapore from 1867 to 1942.

• Local involvement in the government and the success of these locals were in influencing the government’s decisions.

IVLE Forum Posting• From 1867 – 1942, the colonial government ruled

Singapore as a Crown Colony from the Colonial Office in London. Today, we have our own government in Singapore.

• Consider the differences between being ruled by a

colonial government with having a local government of or own.– You may want to examine issues like how the government is

chosen, the people who make up the government, who holds the ultimate decision-making power, etc.