People's Action Party: Difference between revisions

|image=PAP logo.png

|partyname=People's Action Party

|abbrev=PAP

|leadername1=Lawrence Wong

|birthmonth=November  

|birthyear=1954

|website=https://www.pap.org.sg

|othersites=https://www.facebook.com/pap.sg/

}}

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The People's Action Party (PAP) was formed on 21 November 1954 by a group of British-educated left-wing lawyers and trade unionists, including '''Lee Kuan Yew''', '''Goh Keng Swee''', '''S. Rajaratnam''', '''Toh Chin Chye''', and '''Devan Nair'''. The founding members were motivated by the desire to end British colonial rule in Singapore and achieve full self-governance. They also aimed to create a democratic, socialist society. Many of the founding members had ties with the English-educated and Chinese-educated leftist movements.

The party's formation came at a time when Singapore was dealing with the political turbulence of the post-war period, including communist insurgency in Malaya and labour unrest. The PAP quickly positioned itself as a party that could negotiate Singapore’s transition from colonial rule to self-governance. The PAP's platform at its inception included calls for independence through merger with Malaysia, democratic socialism, and multiracialism.

At its formation, the PAP espoused a mix of '''democratic socialism''' and '''anti-colonialism''', and it aimed to champion the working class. The party's leadership was split between English-educated moderates like Lee Kuan Yew and radical left-wing members who had strong ties to the communist-linked trade unions. Over time, the PAP leadership would tilt towards the right, abandoning socialist elements in favor of economic pragmatism and capitalist development.

* '''Anti-communism''': Although there were leftist elements within the party in its early years, the leadership, particularly Lee Kuan Yew, became increasingly anti-communist as Singapore faced challenges from leftist insurgencies in Malaya and the region.

In 1959, Singapore achieved self-government, and the PAP won a decisive victory in the first general election under the new constitution, with '''Lee Kuan Yew becoming Prime Minister'''. However, the party faced internal tensions between the pro-communist faction and the moderates. By 1961, the left-wing members, dissatisfied with the direction of the party, split to form the '''Barisan Sosialis'''.

This division solidified the PAP's move towards more centrist policies. Lee Kuan Yew and the PAP leadership focused on achieving independence through merger with the Federation of Malaya. The reasoning was that merger would offer Singapore better security and economic stability. After negotiations, '''Singapore merged with Malaysia in 1963''', but the arrangement quickly soured due to ethnic tensions and political differences, especially between the PAP and the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the dominant party in Malaysia. Singapore was expelled from Malaysia in '''1965''', and it became an independent republic.

After independence in 1965, the PAP faced the monumental challenge of transforming Singapore into a viable, independent state. The party pursued aggressive economic development, focusing on industrialization, attracting foreign direct investment, and creating a world-class infrastructure.

* '''One-Party Dominance''': The PAP established itself as the dominant party, with '''the opposition Barisan Sosialis weakening over time''' due to internal splits and the detention of its leaders.

In the 1990s, Singapore underwent a leadership transition. '''Goh Chok Tong''' succeeded Lee Kuan Yew as Prime Minister in '''1990'''. Goh’s leadership style was seen as more consultative and inclusive compared to the more hardline approach of his predecessor. However, the core ideology of the PAP — emphasizing meritocracy, economic pragmatism, and political stability — remained largely unchanged.

* '''Economic and Social Reforms''': The PAP introduced various initiatives to tackle social issues, such as rising inequality and housing affordability, but critics argue that these reforms have not been far-reaching enough.

In the last decade, the PAP has faced greater electoral challenges. In the '''2011 General Election''', the PAP won 60.1% of the vote, its lowest share since independence, and lost the Aljunied GRC to the '''Workers' Party'''. The results were seen as a reflection of growing discontent over issues like rising costs of living, income inequality, and immigration policies.

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''<small>Typical PAP uniform worn by members on their walkabouts</small>''

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