Political positions of Lee Kuan Yew

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Lee Kuan Yew (1923–2015) was the first prime minister of Singapore from 1959 to 1990. A founding member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he is often credited for transforming Singapore from a third-world to a first-world country. He was known for practising political pragmatism in his governance of Singapore, but has been criticised for using authoritarian and heavy-handed policies. However, others argue his actions as having been necessary for the country's early development, and that he was a benevolent dictator. His philosophy is considered by some to be a Third Way one. Lee was elected prime minister of Singapore for 31 years, making him the longest-serving prime minister in the world at the time. Many world leaders have affirmed Lee's political knowledge as being insightful. Such supporters include former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher, who remarked that Lee was "never wrong", and former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Former President of...

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