Singapore Chronicles: Economy

This book gives a concise account of the Singapore economy, beginning withits origins in the colonial era and continuing with its evolution after World War II. It notes the social and institutional changes, as well as economic development, in the years leading up to Independence in 1965.

The book charts how, faced with the closure of British military bases, independent Singapore embarked on its transformation to a global economy. It examines closely the roles played by an interventionist state, foreign investment, labour market stability and other factors in effecting the transformation. The book analyses how the economy was restructured after the recession of the mid-1980s; and how it responded to domestic and foreign challenges such as an ageing population and the economic rise of China. It concludes with a glimpse of the way ahead.