TaskWith the information you have been given about the country

that you are leading:

1. Suggest 4 policies that can be implemented to get the country in order.

2. Suggest setting up at least 2 ministries that can handle issues in the country and give some details of what they do.

3. Come up with a way to build a sense of belonging in your country.

You have 15 minutes to complete your discussion before the sharing.

Country A

• Total population: 1000• Citizens: 4 different races, four main languages• Country size: 640 square metres• % living in poverty: 10 %• % with access to clean water and healthcare:

88%• Issue: Different races do not mix with each

other. Homes of each race are usually found together in areas. Schooling is also separate for each race.

Country B

• Total population: 15000• Citizens: 2 different races, multiple dialect but

one common language• Country size: 13000 square metres• % living in poverty: 90 %• % with access to clean water and healthcare:

4%• Issue: Extreme poverty, farmland not fertile and

bad weather conditions make agriculture difficult

Country C

• Total population: 600• Citizens: 1 races• Country size: 5000 square metres• % living in poverty: 40 %• % with access to clean water and

healthcare: 28%• Issue: Very rural country, very little access

to facilities, mainly farming community but earnings are dependent very much on weather conditions.

Country D

• Total population: 333000• Citizens: 7 different races, 8 different language spoken• Country size: 1000 square metres• % living in poverty: 30 %• % with access to clean water and healthcare: 70%• Issue: Different races do not mix with each other. Homes

of each race are usually found together in areas. Schooling is also separate for each race. No common language. Very crowded land area, people living in huts with at least 12 people in a small area the size of a bus stop.

Chapter 1: Singapore – A Nation in the World

Questions for you:

1. What is INDEPENDENCE?

2. What is a country, a state and a nation?

3. What makes states vulnerable?

a. How similar are challenges faced by states?

4. How does Singapore deal with challenges?

a. What are our natural constraints?

b. What was our road to independence like?

5. What were the challenges faced by Singapore as a newly-independent state?

INDEPENDENCE is …..

• the FREEDOM of a people to decide for themselves – how they want to be governed and – what plans to make for the future

• the ABILITY to overcome challenges / serious problems that have serious impact on their existence

Country, state , nation?

An area of land that is ruled by a government. It refers to the GEOGRAPHICAL location of a group of people.

Refers to the GOVERNMENT MACHINERY within an area of land (“country”).

Is ‘formed’ when a group of people in a distinct geographical area accept one another and see themselves as having a COMMON DESTINY

2 definitions of ‘NATION’

A nation exists when a significant number of people in a community consider

themselves to form a nation, or behave as if they have formed

one. It is not necessary that the whole of the population

should feel so, or so behave, and it is not possible to lay

down a minimum percentage of a population which must be so affected. When a significant

group holds this belief, it possesses national

consciousness.

A single people, traditionally fixed on a well-defined territory, speaking

the same language and preferable a language of its own, possessing a distinctive culture, and shaped

to a common mould by many generations of shared historical

experience.

One People, One Nation, One Singapore ?

Singapore as a nation ?

Singapore is not 100 percent a nation but that takes a much,

much longer time. Considering how little time Singapore has,

it is remarkable how many people in Singapore do think of themselves as Singaporeans first. I think if the majority of

the people very naturally and comfortably – not artificially –

regard themselves as Singaporeans, that’s an

achievement.

As part of a continuing exercise to build the Singapore nation, the

work of the S21 Committee must be implemented to

strengthen the process of nation-building. For Singapore is not yet a nation. It is only a

state, a sovereign entity.

A view by Wang Gung Wu, a professor who taught History at the

University of Singapore in the 1970s

A view shared by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong on Singapore as a nation on 5 May 1999 during a

Parliament seating

What makes states vulnerableStates are exposed to danger / attacks

(“vulnerable”) because of the CHALLENGES they faced.

Can the newly independent state maintain its sovereignty?

Can the government of the newly independent state carry out

programmes to meet the needs of its citizens?

Can the newly independent state ‘develop’ into a nation?

Are people living in the newly independent state supportive of their government’s programme to

protect and enrich their lives?

To bring freedom and opportunity to the people of India; to fight and end poverty, ignorance and disease; to build a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation; and to create social, economic and political structures which will ensure justice for all. To the nations and peoples of the world, we pledge ourselves to cooperate with them to establish peace, freedom and democracy.

We are conscious that independence does not just mean having a constitution, a flag, a President, a Parliament and a Government. Independence should meet the needs of the people, to enhance the ability of the nation to face challenges, to remove illiteracy and poverty, to build the foundation for trade and commerce, to promote foreign investment and to create stable employment for its citizens. Without these elements, independence has no meaning to the people and there will be instability in Timor Leste and the region.

How similar are the challenges faced by newly-independent states

What has shaped the way Singapore deals with challenges

A small island - 42 km from east to west by 23 km from north to south, completely lacking in significant natural resources other than a strategic location - this was Singapore immediately before internal self-government in 1959.

• Japanese Occupation– We can only depend on

ourselves to defend what is ours

• Year of strikes– Meeting citizens’ basic

needs is critical

• Communist terror– Disorders resulting from

riots and strikes can topple the government

• Limited self-government– We must keep our

independence status at all cost

• Federation years– Confrontation with Indonesia

• Be a friend of Indonesia

– Race riots• Equal treatment to all races

CHALLENGES faced by newly-independent Singapore

Chapter 1: Singapore – A Nation in the World

Questions for you:

1. What is INDEPENDENCE

2. What are country, state and nation

3. What makes states vulnerable

a. How similar are challenges faced by states

4. How does Singapore deal with challenges

a. What are our natural constraints

b. What was our road to independence like

5. What were the challenges faced by Singapore as a newly-independent state