Healthcare in Singapore

Who should play the most important role in managing healthcare in Singapore?

-       The Individual

-      The Government

-       The Community

The individual plays an important role in managing healthcare as self-reliance has become more important as the health care services in Singapore have changed over the years to meet the demands of an ageing population. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is one such good way in which the individual can manage the cost of rising health care. Indeed, if one keeps him or herself in good health, they would need to spend less money on medical treatment. Therefore, regular exercise and healthy eating habits are strongly encouraged in Singapore. Furthermore, adults are also encouraged to go for health screening programs for the early detection of diseases. Early detection of diseases means that the cost of treating the disease would come down. However, it is up to the individual to seek such treatment and look after himself. Therefore, the individual plays an important role in managing healthcare costs in Singapore.

The government also plays an important role in managing healthcare in Singapore. Indeed, the government helps by implementing schemes for individuals to save to medical costs as it cannot to give too generously or give free health services. As such, a system of co-payment has been adopted. Individuals pay a part of the total cost through the Medisave and Medishield schemes while the government pays for the rest. These schemes are compulsory. Such subsidies make up a quarter of government spending on healthcare. Therefore, government support is also essential in managing the healthcare costs in Singapore.

The community is another important component of managing healthcare costs in Singapore. This is especially so with regard to the aged and the poor. Voluntary welfare organizations are given grants to run community hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation centres. Indeed, it is not feasible for the government to run all these services as it would prove far too costly. Hence, it is important to involve the wider community in support of the healthcare system in Singapore.

In light of all three components of managing healthcare costs in Singapore, I would think that it is up to individual responsibility to ultimately manage the costs. People need to take responsibility for their own health, as the life belongs to them. One should not expect the government or the community to take charge of one’s personal issues. Rather, these two should serve as support mechanisms in managing the healthcare costs in Singapore. 

Bonding Singapore Model Essay

Which is the best policy to build a national identity for Singaporeans?

multi-racialism

bilingualism

common practices

Explain your answer.

Multi-racialism is the policy that every community is treated fairly in Singapore - the interests of the various communities are kept in balance. No community is disadvantaged or favored over another by any government policy. So, by practicing a policy of multi-racialism, racial harmony is maintained as we enjoy religious freedom. Their respect for each other’s religion has also enabled us to live harmoniously together since the 1964 racial riots. Recognizing and using four official languages has also helped to maintain racial harmony as each community can retain and develop its own language and culture.

Bilingualism was made compulsory in 1966 as the mother tongue was used to impart moral values and social traditions. The education system is heavily influenced by the need for racial cohesion and nation building as we have a multi-racial society which is vulnerable to external influences. English is used as a means of communication with the world and amongst all Singaporeans to forge a national identity, which encourages responsibility and commitment to the family, community and country.

Common practices help to build a national identity as they encourage nation-building. Policies such as flag raising, pledge taking and singing the national anthem enhance national loyalty because they are actions which Singaporeans carry out together. When Singaporeans see themselves as loyal and full of national pride, a national identity will be established. Common practices promote social stability as it gives people a sense of belonging and pride.

Multi-racialism is the most important policy as it has created citizens of equal status with no biasness or discrimination towards any racial group so that a national identity can be easily forged. This is important as the Chinese form the majority while the Malays and Indians form the minority. If any group is relegated to second class citizens, then conflict and disharmony may arise, making Singapore highly unstable.

Conflict Model Essays

How far were citizenship rights a cause of the conflict between Sinhalese and Tamils in Sri Lanka? Explain your answer.

Citizenship rights were an important cause of conflict between Sinhalese and Tamils in Sri Lanka. However, there were also other causes such as jobs in the government service and university admission criteria.

Citizenship rights were a cause of conflict in Sri Lanka as in 1948, Sri Lanka granted citizenship only to those who were either born in Sri Lanka or those whose fathers and grandfathers were born there. Many Indian Tamils who were brought from India to work in the tea plantations of Sri Lanka suddenly found themselves stateless. Even after the late 1980s, the Sri Lankan government did not keep to its agreement with India to grant citizenship to all the Tamils. Hence, the stateless Tamils felt discriminated against as they were denied voting rights despite contributing to the Sri Lankan economy. As such, this began to sow the seeds of discord between Tamils and Sinhalese.

The ‘Sinhala Only’ Policy was also a cause of conflict. After gaining independence, the government made Sinhala the only language of administration, depriving the Tamils of government jobs or promotion. So, the loss in jobs resulted in a loss of livelihood and the Tamils felt very angry at this policy of discrimination. Feeling oppressed as the laws were always changed to advantage the Sinhalese, the Tamils decided to turn to violence to solve their problems.

After 1970, the university admission criteria was changed to favor the Sinhalese over the Tamils. Tamils students had to score higher marks to enter university. This racial discrimination led to unhappiness and discontent amongst Tamil youths. Being treated as second class citizens and when their demands were not met, hostility worsened and it escalated into armed conflict.

The loss of job opportunities resulted in a loss of livelihood. Being discriminated as second class citizens, is not as critical as the loss of livelihood. A livelihood is far more important than a sense of belonging as the Tamils needed to survive to fight for their rights. So, the loss of jobs was a more important cause than denial of citizenship rights, which only affected a minority group.

 

Do you agree that foreign intervention was the most damaging consequence of ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka? Explain your answer.

I agree that foreign intervention was a damaging consequence of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka as the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka attracted an outside party in the form of India. In 1983, India acted as the mediator but it failed as the Tamils and the Sinhalese could not come to an agreement. But in 1987, India interfered directly by sending ships of Jaffna laden with food and supplies for the Tamils. The Indian Air Force also violated Sri Lankan airspace by dropping supplies in Jaffna. Finally, in 1990, the Indian peacekeeping forces withdrew after fighting with the Tamil Tigers since 1987. Foreign intervention from India could actually have been the most damaging if it had accelerated and managed to overrun and take over Sri Lanka.

I have to disagree however that foreign intervention was the most damaging consequence. I would argued that armed conflict and economic consequences were more damaging. Since the Tamils have been treated as second class citizens, they asked for a separate state in 1976. Rejected, a militant group, the LTTE resorted to violence and became terrorists. They started attacking Tamils who did not support their cause as well as the Sinhalese. There were many anti-Tamil riots led by the Sinhalese community and army. Many lives were lost and much property was destroyed. Apart from violence, there was hostility, hatred and distrust. Economic consequences are equally damaging: loss of foreign investments and jobs as well as tourism earnings. In times of terrorism and political instability, who would want to invest or take a holiday in Sri Lanka? The standard of living became so hampered when many became unemployed due to the violence.

As such, I disagree that foreign intervention was the most damaging consequence as the Indian peacekeeping forces left in 1990. With armed conflict, Sri Lanka was always remain a poor developing Third World Nation with a damaging impact on the country and its economy and people whereas with foreign intervention, India did give aid in the form of food and supplies to the Tamil regions.

 

How important was the education system in bringing about the Protestant-Catholic conflict in Northern Ireland? Explain your answer.

The education system was an important factor that brought about Protestant-Catholic conflict in Northern Ireland but there were also other factors such as divided loyalties and voting rights.

The education system is a cause because Protestants go to government-funded public schools while the Catholics go to private schools. The damaging consequences of such a segregated education system led to differences because of different opinions taught in both systems. The children rarely get to mix and this perpetuated prejudice, hatred and distrust over the years, widening the divide between the two groups.

Divided loyalties were such that most Protestants regard themselves as British whereas the Catholics see themselves as Irish. This difference in belief is the basis for the tension as the people do not see themselves as part of the same country. The Protestant do not want a union with Ireland as they imagined that a Catholic government would not be tolerant of their protestant beliefs. On the other hand, the Catholics want to be reunited with Ireland as they resent the English conquest of the Irish in the 12th century. This sense of loyalty to different countries caused the Protestants and Catholics to be intolerant of each other.

Prior to 1968, voting rights were such that the protestants had more votes but this is no longer a problem since 1968 as everyone is now only entitled to one vote. Initially, the Catholics were very upset as voting rights were biased against them and only favored the Protestants. Tension created as 1969 led to armed conflict.

Divided loyalties was more important than the education system as education may be revamped but how can a country remain peaceful if the people do not see themselves as part of the same country? Having different beliefs and practice led to divided loyalties  and so this became the most important factor for this tension.

‘The Catholics had no choice but to use violence through the IRA in their fight for more equality.’ Do you agree? Explain your answer.

I agree that the Catholics had no choice but to use violence as the British army intervened in 1969 and the Catholics thought that they would be protected but they were left shocked as their homes were searched and suspects arrested. In 1972, Bloody Sunday marked the  turning point in this conflict. The British soldiers fired shots into the peaceful civil rights march. Thereafter until today, more violence was used and more innocent people died in these clashes because at this point in time, the Catholics had no choice but to turn to the the IRA, an illegal armed organization, for help. They became so desperate as the British Army often raided their homes and damaged their property.

However, I disagree that the Catholics had no choice because there are other means apart from violence in a people’s fight for more equality. Peaceful means like negotiations and peace accords may be used instead of violence and terrorism. However, it must be said that it is very difficult to achieve equality - whether by peaceful or violent means. THe Catholics could have used negotiations or peace accords by turning to the British parliament in London or to the UN to voice their discontent instead of turning to the IRA for help. That was the signal to an end to any successful peace agreements. The Catholics had tried using the peaceful means through the Civil Rights Movement and protest marches in the beginning but there was no response. 

Finally, I disagree that the Catholics had no choice as there is always an alternative to violence. Violence should never be an option. The Catholics could have made greater efforts at peaceful conciliation. They could have made the British government give Catholics a sense of ownership and belonging to the country.

Globalization Model Essay

How far can diversifying the economy ensure that Singapore stay competitive in a globalized world? Explain your answer.

Diversifying the economy will make Singapore focus on new areas such as technology-intensive, high value-added manufacturing industries. This can be done with the help of Research and Development (R&D) in transforming Singapore into a knowledge-based economy as it brings about new and better products. Local enterprises are encouraged to partner universities and research institutions to develop new ideas, methods and products to be sold in the world market. At the same time, Singapore also continues to attract TNCs to set up operations here. By being an education, health, tourism and finance hub, Singapore will diversity and generate economic growth to be able to compete with her neighbors. We will then not become vulnerable and too overly dependent on only one particular sector for economic growth.

Venturing abroad would also help Singapore to stay competitive globally. Going regional and eventually global would enhance Singapore’s overall economic competitiveness by linking the domestic economy to the external economy. By taking a regional approach, Singapore invests in neighboring countries that have abundant resources in land and lower labor costs. These regions also provide a new market for our goods and services. Co-operation between Singapore and the host country also results in better relations between the two countries. Hence, venturing abroad would help Singapore stay competitive.

In order to stay competitive, the government has also nurtured Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). SMEs provide jobs for many Singaporeans and they play a complementary role to TNCs as they support TNCs. SMEs help Singapore to stay competitive as they help to enhance Singapore as a regional manufacturing and services hub. As SMEs are typically small businesses with small capital and mainly, family expertise, the government has many schemes to help and develop them. With more successful SMEs, more TNCs will be attracted to come and start their operations here in Singapore. As such, nurturing SMEs is another way of staying competitive globally.

In conclusion, diversifying the economy is the most effective strategy to ensure that Singapore stays competitive globally. It encompasses the whole economy and gives immediate impact to the entire economy. Singapore is too small to make a huge impact, hence, it needs to adapt itself in order to manage globalization. As such, it must constantly be on the look out for potential areas of growth and how best it can look at alternative sources of income for the country. 

Venice Model Essays

To what extent was the success of Venice from the 9^th century onwards due to capable leaders? Explain your answer.

The success of Venice from the 9^th century onwards was largely due to capable leaders who provided sound leadership. However, one must also consider other possible factors before coming to a satisfactory conclusion.

Capable leaders played a crucial role in Venice’s rise. Its leaders were forward looking and had become a very strong system of republic government. Election to government was based on nomination, balloting and voting to ensure that there was no insider connections nor incompetent leaders. Talented people were elected to serve in the government ensuring a pool of talent to lead Venice to economic success. Such capable leaders also implemented practical policies to respond to the demands of a changing environment such as stopping piracy. Effective checks on power were implemented to ensure that the government would not abuse its power. As such, the citizens were confident that the leaders implemented policies to benefit the whole state and not just in the government’s personal interest. Hence, capable leadership in Venice resulted in good governance. This also ensured continued peace, harmony and economic progress as the state was extremely stable. Therefore, the success and rise of Venice became a natural result of capable leaders.

Economic factors also played a role in Venice’s rise. Venetians enjoyed trade monopoly for a number of centuries. Venice used its navy to destroy trade competitors which resulted in Venice taking control of the sea routes and thus enjoying the salt trade monopoly. Adventurous Venetians also traveled overland in search of new opportunities. As a result, Venice as a city began to grow in its importance as a major trading player. The economy was also diversified to reduce dependence on any particular sector of the economy. As such, such economic foresight would lead to the growth, prosperity and success of Venice.

Social policies also played a role in Venice’s rise. Venice believed in attracting foreign talents and loyalty. It attracted foreign traders, artisans and craftsmen. When these talents decided to settle down in Venice, they contributed to the further growth and success of Venice, further solidifying the position of Venice. They brought with them skills and expertise which could contribute to the rise of Venice. Furthermore, loyal citizens were also willing to make personal and financial sacrifices for the sake of Venice.

In conclusion, capable leaders played a more critical role than economic and social factors as a strong state always begins with a stable political climate. The leaders created a strong and stable government which encouraged commerce and foreign migration. They were also able to inspire people to work hard to the sake of Venice. All these factors, led by capable leaders resulted in the rise of Venice.

 

 

To what extent were the corrupt nobles responsible for the fall of Venice? Explain your answer.

While the corrupt nobles were responsible for the fall of Venice, however, there were also other factors such as incapable leaders and complacent citizens. It would be unfair to merely just put the blame on the corrupt nobles.

The corrupt nobles were responsible due to the fact that by the 17^th century, Venice lacked the ability to face her external threats and so crumbled quickly internally due to the high level of corruption. To finance wars, the government sought revenue from the salaries of the civil servants as well as imposed higher taxes. Hence, poverty caused the poorer nobles to vote for the rich who could pay them well. Corruption led to a small group of nobles who took office for fame, fortune and power rather than to contribute to the growth and expansion of Venice itself. Since political power was concentrated in about only 100 men in 30 families, this led to an abuse of power as there were only interested in gaining more money and power. This was a critical point in the eventual fall of Venice. Men were seeking to pursue their own personal agendas rather than that of the entire city-state.

The fall of Venice was also due to incapable leaders.  This was particularly the case in the military. There were no permanent navy and army leaders as no single family was allowed to control the government. This resulted in a loss of territory when the Ottoman empire came upon Venice. Incompetent military leaders were punished but Venice failed to realize that it needed to fundamentally change its system of selecting leaders. Venice also did not conscript its citizens into the army and so relied too heavily on externally paid armies for its own defence. Moreover, as Venice began to face decline, it could no longer afford to maintain such armies. This also contributed to the fall of Venice.

The fall of Venice was also a result of complacent citizens. The rich, who prospered from the trading became extremely proud. They had large parties and celebrations and were no longer interested in working hard and putting in any effort into their work. They engaged in activities like gambling, and this led to a moral decay. They also believed that the good days would always continue. Such an attitude towards work would obviously result in a decline in the city. Hence, this also resulted in the eventual decline of Venice.

Having considered all factors however, one should definitely blame the corrupt nobles as the single most important factor in the decline of Venice. The corrupt government was insecure and so, purposely picked incapable leaders as they were afraid that their own positions would be threatened. The government gave the people a false sense of security and were unable to motivate them to work hard and remain competitive. As a result, Venice inevitably began its decline and was never ever able to rise back up again.

 

 

 

Which of these lessons is the most important for a country to learn from the rise and fall of Venice:

Capable leadership
Good international relations
A strong defence force

An important lesson that a country can learn from the rise and fall of Venice is the need for a capable and committed leadership. It is critical that every country needs to choose capable and committed leadership for itself. The quality of the leaders will determine the quality of the country. Venice rose because its leaders were willing to place state interests above personal interests. However, they later became corrupt and neglected their responsibilities as state officials choosing to adopt lavish lifestyles instead. Venice also fell as a result of the weak process of choosing its military leaders. Hence, it is the duty of every citizen to elect the right people into government. Countries must learn that the same sad story could happen to them should they choose to take things for granted.

Another important lesson which countries can learn from Venice is the importance of good international relations. When the Ottoman Empire attacked Venice, none of the other city-states offered any assistance or support as Venice became extremely arrogant in its conduct with other states. It is thus important for every country to have friends both regionally and bilaterally. There presents an important need to build close ties and good working relations with other countries.

The third lesson a country can learn from Venice is that a country needs a strong and credible defence force as a form of deterrence. The mistake that Venice made in its military was its reliance on mercenary soldiers. Hence, loyalty to the city-state was missing. To be well prepared, countries need to build up their military might and ensure loyalty by training its own citizens. Success must never be taken for granted, and people must be willing to make sacrifices so that the country can continue to stay safe and prosper.

Though debatable, and though there are many lessons that can be learnt from Venice, capable leadership is perhaps the most important lesson that can be picked up from this example. Capable leaders will understand the need to put the country’s interests above their own and will be able to conduct sound foreign policy as well as a robust defence policy. Hence, capable leadership is the most important lesson that can be taken from the Venetian example.