[Drugmachine]

Welfare states and economic growth --- PM Lee Hsien Loong is wrong again

by Tan Jee Say on Friday, June 22, 2012 at 7:16am ·


“Contrary to naïve interpretations of globalization, the world’s most generous welfare states have developed in societies wide open to and heavily dependent on the world market, such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. These welfare states, in particular the Scandinavian ones, always come at the top in managerial rankings of ‘world competitiveness’." So wrote Professor Ian Gough and Goran Therborn in their joint paper “The Global Future of Welfare States”.

I had the privilege of meeting LSE Prof Gough at his office in the London School of Economics on my current visit to the UK. He was amused that Singapore continues to be stuck in its outmoded view of the welfare state adversely affecting its economic competitiveness. In his recent speech to the Economic Society of Singapore, PM Lee Hsien Loong poured cold water over the Nordic model. Yet their extensive social safety net has not prevented them from achieving robust economic growth. Nor has it de-motivated people from striving to give of their best despite high taxes. Just look at the many world class companies and innovative thinkers they have produced. Denmark alone has at least 13 Nobel prize winners. And it is the happiest country in the world, followed by Finland, Norway and the Netherlands (according to a Gallup survey published in the World Happiness Report released in April 2012). And these are countries with extensive welfare states and high taxes! There is a lot we can learn from these countries. I hope to continue my discussions with Prof Gough in the months ahead.

I also called on Lord Butler at the House of Lords. Some of you will recall that Lord Butler commended my 45-page essay “Creating Jobs and Enterprise in a new Singapore economy – Ideas for Change”. A summary of the essay appeared in my book “A Nation Awakes”. I presented a copy of the book to his Lordship. I told Lord Butler that the essay was the subject of intense debate in Singapore’s 2011 General Election. It even elicited a spirited response from then Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew who commented that I had ‘no qualification’ to say what I wrote in the essay. I had replied that I studied economics at Oxford and later headed economic planning at Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, and I added that my essay was endorsed by Lord Butler who had served under 3 British Prime Ministers. My reply to the Minister Mentor was voted by Yahoo as the best rebuttal of the whole GE campaign. I referred Lord Butler to the relevant passage in the book that described this episode; Lord Butler browsed through it and smiled with great amusement.



Prof Ian Gough and TJS outside the LSE Library o 20 June 2012
Lord Butler and TJS in the House of Lords in London on 20 June 2012

[tgs]

This TJS is nothing but an egotistical charlatan...after tat piece of shite eulogy of his at dr lim hock siew's funeral think he has finally shown his true colours...rather hv the pap devil i know than this piece of shite devil TJS...

Btw want to get a true picture of a real oppo intellectual powerhouse...than i suggest u go read ST 22 June 2012 Opinion A31, 'Power of We' by Susan Long...she has done a v interesting piece on Chen Show Mao...

"The substance of servant leadership is about putting people at the centre of policies. The style is persuading the people to come along. You no longer can say: 'Look, I'm the leader, follow me.' You're the leader but you're also the servant. What does that mean? That means the master has to be led or has to be persuaded to come along, because the decision is ultimately his."
Chen Show Mao - On what servant leadership should be about

[Fegasderty]

I am always impressed who Tan Jee Say knows and associates with. Long ago, I stopped paying any value to his views, opinions and content of articles he raises. Its the names and institutions that is streets ahead of people like LTK, Chee, VW, JBJ or even the PAP leadership. I even think that LTK has no idea where the House of Lords is.

Even in these 3 small paragraphs, the following is rich with association of names and important places

- Prof Ian Gough, Belgium, Netherlands, Scandinavia
- Goran Therborn
- London School of Economics
- UK
- Economic Society of Singapore
- Nordic Model
- Denmark, Finland
- Gallup
- World Happiness Report
- Lord Butler
- House of Lords
- OXford
- Ministry of Trade and Industry
- Yahoo

This is a guy that actually met these people, visited the House of Lords, worked in MTI, went to Oxford, went to LSE, held discussions with Prof Gough, shared the amusement with His Lordship, contested the GE and the list goes on and on. This is clearly no name dropping exercise by a nobody. More a man that is well connected to the levers of the World. He actually did all these things and met all these people. Not just met. He held discussions, shared light moments and amusements over comments from stumbling asian leaders etc.

Now tell me honestly, holding your hand to your heart, can you actually pay any attention to the purpose or content of the article. I frankly have no clue and the message is completely lost. I was too distracted by all those famous names and iconic places and very fact that he has met and done all these things. To me that is value of the article that he authored.

I am shocked that Singaporeans are unable to recognise value when they see one. On retrospect, a great disservice has been done to this man. We gave him only 25% of the votes in the Presidential Elections of 2011. Instead 70% of the votes went to 2 individuals who probably got their first degree in a third world country, never been to the House of Lords let alone have a meaningful discussion with a Lordship.

Let be absolutely honest here - Tan Cheng Bock ran a derelict clinic in an area full of pig farms. Tony Tan albeit rich is frankly more known for his hairstyle. Yet we completely ignored a PSC OM Scholar, a reader of the Plebian, whose mentor was one of the longest detained political prisoner in recent world history, an Oxford Alumnus, an author of a groundbreaking paper on Remodelling an economy and lastly a man who at one time guided a future Prime Minister thru treacherous waters and turbulent times as his personal private secretary.

And they said Pigs can't fly. I reckon that this pig will fly. Fly where? Lets cross that bridge when we come to it.

[Ifroham4]

By now alot of people are impressed with his high intellectual capacity and connections. So is PAP worry that its current or future leaders are not up to the mark to deal with this type of opposition figures?

[Drugmachine]

Take your PPE Degree and join Aung San SK, JS. You're better off with her esp since both of you flaunt your PPE degree as if its the king of all degrees.

[Ifroham4]

Thanks for all the reports guys, nice to hear that.

[Ifroham4]

I am always impressed who Tan Jee Say knows and associates with. Long ago, I stopped paying any value to his views, opinions and content of articles he raises. Its the names and institutions that is streets ahead of people like LTK, Chee, VW, JBJ or even the PAP leadership. I even think that LTK has no idea where the House of Lords is.

Even in these 3 small paragraphs, the following is rich with association of names and important places

- Prof Ian Gough, Belgium, Netherlands, Scandinavia
- Goran Therborn
- London School of Economics
- UK
- Economic Society of Singapore
- Nordic Model
- Denmark, Finland
- Gallup
- World Happiness Report
- Lord Butler
- House of Lords
- OXford
- Ministry of Trade and Industry
- Yahoo

This is a guy that actually met these people, visited the House of Lords, worked in MTI, went to Oxford, went to LSE, held discussions with Prof Gough, shared the amusement with His Lordship, contested the GE and the list goes on and on. This is clearly no name dropping exercise by a nobody. More a man that is well connected to the levers of the World. He actually did all these things and met all these people. Not just met. He held discussions, shared light moments and amusements over comments from stumbling asian leaders etc.

Now tell me honestly, holding your hand to your heart, can you actually pay any attention to the purpose or content of the article. I frankly have no clue and the message is completely lost. I was too distracted by all those famous names and iconic places and very fact that he has met and done all these things. To me that is value of the article that he authored.

I am shocked that Singaporeans are unable to recognise value when they see one. On retrospect, a great disservice has been done to this man. We gave him only 25% of the votes in the Presidential Elections of 2011. Instead 70% of the votes went to 2 individuals who probably got their first degree in a third world country, never been to the House of Lords let alone have a meaningful discussion with a Lordship.

Let be absolutely honest here - Tan Cheng Bock ran a derelict clinic in an area full of pig farms. Tony Tan albeit rich is frankly more known for his hairstyle. Yet we completely ignored a PSC OM Scholar, a reader of the Plebian, whose mentor was one of the longest detained political prisoner in recent world history, an Oxford Alumnus, an author of a groundbreaking paper on Remodelling an economy and lastly a man who at one time guided a future Prime Minister thru treacherous waters and turbulent times as his personal private secretary.

And they said Pigs can't fly. I reckon that this pig will fly. Fly where? Lets cross that bridge when we come to it.

Excuse me, the House of Lords is au undemocratic institution full of old people sitting on riches

[Lt_Apple]

I am rushing for an appointment, so thanks for the concise summary which allowed me to understand the gist of the article in a few seconds. Much appreciated, bro.

- Prof Ian Gough, Belgium, Netherlands, Scandinavia
- Goran Therborn
- London School of Economics
- UK
- Economic Society of Singapore
- Nordic Model
- Denmark, Finland
- Gallup
- World Happiness Report
- Lord Butler
- House of Lords
- OXford
- Ministry of Trade and Industry
- Yahoo

[tgs]

Btw want to get a true picture of a real oppo intellectual powerhouse...than i suggest u go read ST 22 June 2012 Opinion A31, 'Power of We' by Susan Long...she has done a v interesting piece on Chen Show Mao...

http://sammyboy.com/showthread.php?1...51#post1118251

[S.T.D.]

I am always impressed who Tan Jee Say knows and associates with. Long ago, I stopped paying any value to his views, opinions and content of articles he raises. .

hahaha....long ago.....yes, 300+ days is a long time.......lol.

[Lt_Apple]

Excuse me, the House of Lords is au undemocratic institution full of old people sitting on riches

And blokes like TJS need to bow to his white masters and coddle up to their influential lordship and wealth.

[MannoFr]

His self-conceit will be his downfall. He shld stop blowing his trumpet and dropping names to boost himself.

Take a leaf from CSM - self-effacing, humble, ..yet proven, sparkling credentials and achievements.

[LottiFurmann]

This post of yours is no simple put down, its machiam a literary version of 如来神掌 served backhand.

I am always impressed who Tan Jee Say knows and associates with. Long ago, I stopped paying any value to his views, opinions and content of articles he raises. Its the names and institutions that is streets ahead of people like LTK, Chee, VW, JBJ or even the PAP leadership. I even think that LTK has no idea where the House of Lords is.

Even in these 3 small paragraphs, the following is rich with association of names and important places

- Prof Ian Gough, Belgium, Netherlands, Scandinavia
- Goran Therborn
- London School of Economics
- UK
- Economic Society of Singapore
- Nordic Model
- Denmark, Finland
- Gallup
- World Happiness Report
- Lord Butler
- House of Lords
- OXford
- Ministry of Trade and Industry
- Yahoo

This is a guy that actually met these people, visited the House of Lords, worked in MTI, went to Oxford, went to LSE, held discussions with Prof Gough, shared the amusement with His Lordship, contested the GE and the list goes on and on. This is clearly no name dropping exercise by a nobody. More a man that is well connected to the levers of the World. He actually did all these things and met all these people. Not just met. He held discussions, shared light moments and amusements over comments from stumbling asian leaders etc.

Now tell me honestly, holding your hand to your heart, can you actually pay any attention to the purpose or content of the article. I frankly have no clue and the message is completely lost. I was too distracted by all those famous names and iconic places and very fact that he has met and done all these things. To me that is value of the article that he authored.

I am shocked that Singaporeans are unable to recognise value when they see one. On retrospect, a great disservice has been done to this man. We gave him only 25% of the votes in the Presidential Elections of 2011. Instead 70% of the votes went to 2 individuals who probably got their first degree in a third world country, never been to the House of Lords let alone have a meaningful discussion with a Lordship.

Let be absolutely honest here - Tan Cheng Bock ran a derelict clinic in an area full of pig farms. Tony Tan albeit rich is frankly more known for his hairstyle. Yet we completely ignored a PSC OM Scholar, a reader of the Plebian, whose mentor was one of the longest detained political prisoner in recent world history, an Oxford Alumnus, an author of a groundbreaking paper on Remodelling an economy and lastly a man who at one time guided a future Prime Minister thru treacherous waters and turbulent times as his personal private secretary.

And they said Pigs can't fly. I reckon that this pig will fly. Fly where? Lets cross that bridge when we come to it.

[Big A]

Take your PPE Degree and join Aung San SK, JS. You're better off with her esp since both of you flaunt your PPE degree as if its the king of all degrees.

Stooge doggie, when did you ever have anything good to say of anyone who posed a real challenge to the PAPpzis?

Doggie stuffychute, take your shit and join Kinana. You're better off with him esp since both of you flaunt your rubbish as if its the king of all truth.

[PhillipHer]

Welfare states and economic growth --- PM Lee Hsien Loong is wrong again

me find it more amusing to see if there's any correlation between height and success in our political arena

notwithstanding WKS and MBT, me supposed they're flukes of the natural order when it comes to the normal distribution

[S.T.D.]

I am rather surprised and disappointed that he has turned out to be like this. When he first broke upon the scene, I was rather impressed by his background, qualifications and experience. But as they say, give a man rope enough, and he'll hang himself. I think he's carried away by his own ego enlarged by all that popular affection, it went to his head. Given the political temperament of the day, any monkey would have caught some of that adulatory fever. A man like TJS ought to have known how much of it would stick to him and how fast it could rub off if he is proven to be a dud eventually. Sad he has turned out to be a self-preening vain cock seeking self-glory.

[Drugmachine]

lets ignore what TJS is or is not ; and focus on this part :
[ “Contrary to naïve interpretations of globalization, the world’s most generous welfare states have developed in societies wide open to and heavily dependent on the world market, such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. These welfare states, in particular the Scandinavian ones, always come at the top in managerial rankings of ‘world competitiveness’." So wrote Professor Ian Gough and Goran Therborn in their joint paper “The Global Future of Welfare States”. ]

whatever the character of tjs , it has nothing to do with me and almost all sinkies.
the statement by Ian and Goran is the one that sinkies should bear in mind when they are having an Erection.
what interest me is the views of the esteem and learned ones here.

[Lt_Apple]

I am rather surprised and disappointed that he has turned out to be like this. When he first broke upon the scene, I was rather impressed by his background, qualifications and experience. But as they say, give a man rope enough, and he'll hang himself. I think he's carried away by his own ego enlarged by all that popular affection, it went to his head. Given the political temperament of the day, any monkey would have caught some of that adulatory fever. A man like TJS ought to have known how much of it would stick to him and how fast it could rub off if he is proven to be a dud eventually. Sad he has turned out to be a self-preening vain cock seeking self-glory.

TJS appears to be very isolated these days. In the SDP, he seemed close to Ang and Michelle. When he ran for President, Michelle but not Ang helped him. Lately, I have been hearing that Michelle has gone over to WP, a place that would not accept TJS, and she has not been seen hanging around him. The NSP gang who helped TJS, especially Nicole and Jeannette, are also hardly seen with him. After the PE, he stuck with Ben Pwee and the rest of the ex-SPP guys, but this seems to have stopped as well.

No matter how impressive he is publicly, in private he might have done or said many things to put people away from in.

[Lillie_Steins]

Hey JS, buy some new ties.

[HedgeYourBets]

Scrooball, I agree with everything you say. As for TCB running a derelict clinic, I believe that was his choice. He could have been a society doctor if he wanted but he wanted to be close to his constituents. TCB may be all that you say but he is hardly a good politician if he cannot get elected.