Lee Kuan Yew: from political insurgent to national manager

Michael D. Barr

doi:10.4324/9781003426165-2

Lee Kuan Yew: from political insurgent to national manager

Michael D. Barr

College of Business, Government and Law

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

This study of Lee Kuan Yew’s leadership focuses on the 1950s-1970s, when his political career was a work in progress, and the prospect of failure was either a real-time fear or a recent memory. His record in this period allows us to observe him operating without the crutch of having sufficient power to act on a whim. In the more sedate and stable post-1970s period, Lee tried to institutionalise a radically different vision of political and managerial leadership that was professional, technocratic, and quiescent. This experiment arguably met with considerable success in the civil service, government-linked companies, and the military, but it has not worked so well in politics proper.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Political Leadership in an Era of Decolonisation
Subtitle of host publication	Case Studies from Across the Globe
Editors	Malcolm Murfett
Place of Publication	Abingdon, Oxon
Publisher	Routledge, Taylor & Francis
Chapter	2
Pages	24-49
Number of pages	26
ISBN (Electronic)	9781003426165
ISBN (Print)	9781032546889
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003426165-2
Publication status	Published - 2023

Keywords

Lee Kuan Yew
political leadership
leadership
Singapore politics

Access to Document

10.4324/9781003426165-2Licence: In Copyright

Cite this

@inbook{62177b4be89f409c8ff23008ebe027aa,

title = "Lee Kuan Yew: from political insurgent to national manager",

abstract = "This study of Lee Kuan Yew{\textquoteright}s leadership focuses on the 1950s-1970s, when his political career was a work in progress, and the prospect of failure was either a real-time fear or a recent memory. His record in this period allows us to observe him operating without the crutch of having sufficient power to act on a whim. In the more sedate and stable post-1970s period, Lee tried to institutionalise a radically different vision of political and managerial leadership that was professional, technocratic, and quiescent. This experiment arguably met with considerable success in the civil service, government-linked companies, and the military, but it has not worked so well in politics proper.",

keywords = "Lee Kuan Yew, political leadership, leadership, Singapore politics",

author = "Barr, {Michael D.}",

year = "2023",

doi = "10.4324/9781003426165-2",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781032546889",

pages = "24--49",

editor = "Malcolm Murfett",

booktitle = "Political Leadership in an Era of Decolonisation",

publisher = "Routledge, Taylor & Francis",

address = "United Kingdom",

}

TY - CHAP

T1 - Lee Kuan Yew

T2 - from political insurgent to national manager

AU - Barr, Michael D.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - This study of Lee Kuan Yew’s leadership focuses on the 1950s-1970s, when his political career was a work in progress, and the prospect of failure was either a real-time fear or a recent memory. His record in this period allows us to observe him operating without the crutch of having sufficient power to act on a whim. In the more sedate and stable post-1970s period, Lee tried to institutionalise a radically different vision of political and managerial leadership that was professional, technocratic, and quiescent. This experiment arguably met with considerable success in the civil service, government-linked companies, and the military, but it has not worked so well in politics proper.

AB - This study of Lee Kuan Yew’s leadership focuses on the 1950s-1970s, when his political career was a work in progress, and the prospect of failure was either a real-time fear or a recent memory. His record in this period allows us to observe him operating without the crutch of having sufficient power to act on a whim. In the more sedate and stable post-1970s period, Lee tried to institutionalise a radically different vision of political and managerial leadership that was professional, technocratic, and quiescent. This experiment arguably met with considerable success in the civil service, government-linked companies, and the military, but it has not worked so well in politics proper.

KW - Lee Kuan Yew

KW - political leadership

KW - leadership

KW - Singapore politics

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85174774397&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.4324/9781003426165-2

DO - 10.4324/9781003426165-2

M3 - Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:85174774397

SN - 9781032546889

SP - 24

EP - 49

BT - Political Leadership in an Era of Decolonisation

A2 - Murfett, Malcolm

PB - Routledge, Taylor & Francis

CY - Abingdon, Oxon

ER -

Lee Kuan Yew: from political insurgent to national manager

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this