Arrested development: Democratization in Singapore.

DEMOCRATIZATION; POLITICAL science; NEW democracies; DEMOCRACY

This article attempts to flesh-out the conceptual and substantive difficulties and points to some opportunities where further democratization of Singapore may take place without social rupture. Contrary to the dismissal of some critics, it is argued that opportunities for democratization exist within Singapore's highly interventionalist single-party dominant polity. These opportunities arise from: the need to re-ignite public, especially middle class, interest in politics; the development of voluntary associations and their right to be consulted; the need for a more independent press; and the unavoidable political effects of the social inequalities of capitalist development. Substantively, the People's Action Party (PAP) government has opened up more space for their realization because of its desire to continue to govern. Currently, some 'independent' voices are heard in parliament; more dissenting views are published by the national newspaper in its letters-to-the-editor column and more distributive social welfare schemes are in place.