Understanding Governance

(a) How far were concerns over Singapore's defence needs an important reason for the change in population policies in the 1980s? Explain your answer. [12]

Issue : change in population policies in the 1980's
Reasons for change in population policy:
1.concern over Singapore's defence
2. unattractive to Transnational Companies
3. aging population.

Rank: All three reasons play important role and contribute to the change in population policies in the 1980's. But population planning in Singapore has always been linked to economic planning. Therefor the main reasons for the change in population in the 1980's was because Singapore's small population was unattractive to Transnational Companies.

Population planning in Singapore has always been linked to economic planning. The “stop at 2” population policy of 1965–87 was designed to support the economic plans to improve the quality of life of the people. But 1983, however, Singapore switched from this "stop at two" policy to“have 3 or more if you can afford it” policy.

Concerns over Singapore's defence needs was an important reason for the change in population policies in the 1980s but it is not the only one. Singapore is dependent on its own people to provide sufficient manpower for its military defence force. Due to the limited human resources, all able-bodied Singaporean men are required to serve in the nation as part of National Service. With fewer births, it would mean that there will fewer men to recruit for National Service. This would compromise Singapore’s military forces. In turn, it would weaken our defence forces. However with the use of better technology and better training, we have partily overcome this problem. We now need less man in the army but the defence ability has not been compromised. Therefore, concern over Singapore's defence need contribute to the change in population policy but it is not the main reason.

Another reason for the change in population policy is the concern of the ageing population. With fewer babies born each year, there would be fewer young people in the population.Yet at the same time the number of older people would be proportionately larger.This means that the country would be faced with an aging population. Therefor more resources would have to used to take care of the increasing number of senior citizens. At the same time, it would meant that there would be greater strain on the younger ones to support the elderly. The government may have to increase taxes in order to support and provide for the greater number of elderly. Therefore one solution is to encourage large family so that the children will look after the old and not depend on the governmnet. So the concern with aging population is another reason for the change in population.

Although these two reasons, concern for the defence of Singaore and aging population are important, I feel that the most important reason is the concern that TNC has with a small population.

With the success of the stop at two population, there was a decline in Singapore population in the 1980s she became unattractive to transnational companies(TNC). With a shrinking population, it would be translated to limited labour pool. This would in turn result in a situation which could suggest that Singapore would be less likely to produce enough talented people to sustain its development. With less suitable candidates for the TNCs to employ, TNCs may find it difficult to and perhaps more expensive to recruit Singaporeans. This would drive possible investors away from Singapore to countries with a larger labour pool, such as China. This situation can have a dire effect on Singapore’s economic and national development in the long run. Hence, there is a need for Singapore to reverse the population trend, to encourage more births.

The neeed to stay attractive for the TNC is the most imporatnt reason as population planning in Singapore has always been linked to economic planning. If Singapore cannot continue to attract TNC to Sinagpore, it will affect the economic growth and developemnt of Singapore. This will have an impact on Singaore's ability to defence herself and her ability to look after the aging population. With slower economic growth, she will not have the ability to do both.

Therefor the main reasons for the change in population in the 1980's was because Singapore's small population was unattractive to Transnational Companies. If she can increrase her population, she will be able to remain attractive to the TNC which inturn will enavle her to look after the aging population and her defence.