Leadership and the People
Is it the culture of Singapore that lends this character of authoritarian leadership or benign dictatorship? This is not so much a political statement, but one levelled at non-political structures. Whether it is the best of intentions that motivates leadership, does leadership not represent the voice of the majority, and therefore owe it to the community to understand their sentiments? If leadership plans and executes without consultation, will the community not feel alienated and disenfranchised? If they feel disconnected from the community, would they have any feelings of identification and loyalty?
Even if leadership is wise and have a heart for the community (have genuine empathy), no one is perfect, and leaders are still capable of making mistakes. If no consultations are made before execution, who actually keeps the system in check? Is it also Asian to lack transparency, or is it just something that our cultures have lived with from generations of dictatorial leadership?
Even if leadership is wise and have a heart for the community (have genuine empathy), no one is perfect, and leaders are still capable of making mistakes. If no consultations are made before execution, who actually keeps the system in check? Is it also Asian to lack transparency, or is it just something that our cultures have lived with from generations of dictatorial leadership?