The History of Singapore

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how Singapore was a British colony and then merged into Malaysia. The paper examines how a combination of political and ethnic differences between Singapore and the national government eventually led to a split, with Singapore separating from Malaysia and establishing itself as an independent nation. The paper reveals that since its independence from the Malaysian government in 1965, its economy has increased phenomenally every year. The paper shows how in the 1990s, Singapore became the most prosperous nation in Southeast Asia and so it has been projected to have a higher per capita income than many Western countries and to become among the three or four most prosperous countries in the world in the 21st century.

From the Paper:

"Modern Singapore was acquired as a second trading post by the British East India Company in 1819 and earned initial economic success as an entrepot on account of the island's location, harbor and free port status (Sullivan 2006). From a mere center for trade and transshipment at the early 20th century, Singapore eventually evolved into a regional center for distribution of primary goods, mainly rubber and tin from the Malay Peninsula, for distribution of European manufactured good. When the British set up a naval base in the island after World War I, Singapore became a key element of the British Commonwealth of Nations' military defense east of India and this contributed the naval support industry to the island's economy."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Abisheganaden, F. (1965). Singapore is Out. Straits Times: Singapore Press Holdings
• ------------------------------. It is the Best Solution for Everyone Concerned.
• Attorney General's Chambers. (1965). An Agreement Relating to the Separation of Singapore from Malaysia as an Independent and Sovereign State. Revised New Edition 1985. Statutes. http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_version/cgi-bin/cgi_retrieve.pl?actno=REVED-INDEP&doctitle=INDEPENDENCE+OF+SINGAPORE+AGREEMENT+1965.%OA&date-latest&method=part
• Sullivan, M. (2006). Patterns of Development. The Economy of Singapore. Chapter 3. US Library of Congress. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cssgtoc.html

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