From Third World to First: The Singapore Story: 1965-2000 2 Volume Slipcased Set Hardcover – 1 Jan. 2000

Its a pity the UK could not have had a man like this in charge.

This is absolutely fascinating and more people from the Western liberal tradition should read it. We spend a lot of time debating liberalism's merits relative to socialism, or Islamism, but those movements have far fewer adherents and are a far less persuasive alternative to our own choices than the soft, managerial authoritarianism (if that's a fair description) practiced by Lee Kuan Yew.At times, reading the book you can see the limits of his arguments. He points out that alternative centres of power besides the Government (e.g. the press) are self-interested and will often make things hard for a reformist government, without giving proper credit to their genuine ability to check a corrupt or simply tired and incompetent government. The defence is that the Singaporean Government wasn't tired or corrupt but, of course, you cannot establish a society on the basis that your leaders will be (and continue to be) the right people, you plan for the wrong people being in and avoiding them being in too long. But still, the idea that a press that sees corruption everywhere might remove the political rewards for not being corrupt is powerful.In other cases, he makes an argument that at first seems wild but then becomes more and more plausible when you think about it, like that the Vietnam War, for all its faults, bought time for the Asian Tigers to strengthen their societies and then boom into prosperity. That's an enormous upside with implications for billions of people. It is a powerful example of how little we understand the implications (good and bad) of foreign interventions.I cite those two examples to illustrate how I think this book should be read: as a source of stimulation to challenge your own thinking. The structure, around issues rather than purely linear, makes that easier. A vital read.

One of the best autobiographies I've ever read. Enjoyable, funny and enlightening. Reading this you learn to respect the man even if you don't agree with everything he did but the results of Singapore speak for themselves. He turned a back water into an economic powerhouse where his people were dragged out of the mire of the third world to live with dignity as an industrialised nation, self reliant and self respecting.The language is simple making it an easy read, the writer is engaging so much so that you want to keep reading. There are interesting anecdotes about various British and Asian politicians from east and south asia..

I have been to Singapore on many short visits through twenty years till 2008. It is a place many, especially Westerners, abhor and are highly critical of, and it is not a place that leaves one indifferent.If only most world leaders had/have the pragmatic wisdom of Lee, many countries in this troubled world would fare better and more peacefully. Lee created a state of benign (such as it is) authoritanism, which might, perhaps, be preferable in many places to militant anarchy, corruption and terrorism, if not downright civil war and sectarian strife, which are all too common in this world.I am rather sure that what has been achieved, and how, in Lee's Singapore, in some ways has had a profound influence on the development in China since 1979, and for that matter in some of the neighbouring countries as well. (Even though nobody will admit it, of course). Lee's legacy is far greater than what is usually acknowledged, and this book describes, in plain language, what is behind that legacy and how is has been achieved. What Lee and Singapore have done and achieved in the last 50 years is astounding, and without parallel in modern world history. Like it or not.

This is an excellent book and will be of interest to anyone who wants to know more about the "Tiger" economies - it provides a broad picture of Asia and the history of the region from the 1950s or so.

After Lee Kuan Yew's recent death and reading his obituary in the Times newspaper I wanted to find out more about the man who transformed Singapore into the country it is today. I was not disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey with him as he told the story of the struggle from WW2 up until 2000 when this book was published. He pulls no punches in his descriptions of the world leaders during that time and his dream of making Singapore punch well above it's weight. I also learned valuable insights into the politics and cultures of both his and surrounding countries which makes sense of the world today. I know he had his critics but having visited Singapore on two occasions I admire what he has achieved in that country.

Ok

I got this book before a trip to Singapore because it came up at the top of Amazon search results and had good reviews. It is indeed full of information and you will learn a lot about the recent History of this country. The information is however very one-sided, especially on controversial points, and I would recommend complementing this book with the great comic by Sonny Lieuw "The art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye" (one of the best I have read!