Egypt's lesson: Build prosperity on strong social fabric
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
Feb 1, 2011 - ST Forum
THE sudden widespread unrest in Egypt has revealed that Egypt's so-called stability during the past few decades had masked simmering public discontent, which was exacerbated by a growing disparity in wealth.
According to the United Nations, Egypt's Gini coefficient is 34.4, making it the 90th most unequal country, in terms of income, in the world. While physically sharing the same country, many Egyptians, at opposing ends of the wealth spectrum, are actually leading completely different lives.
Unfortunately for Egyptians, the Egyptian government appears to have chosen to downplay the issue, an attitude which only added to the widespread dissatisfaction against the government.
As we watch the drama unfold, we should also remind ourselves about how a society which has been scrupulously developed and managed for so long can easily fall apart if socio-economic issues are not dealt with seriously in a timely manner.
After all, the physical facade of prosperity, if built upon a weakening social fabric, could easily vanish like a mirage in the desert.
Tan Eng Tat
running a country is so easy meh? especially a big one like egypt.
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just realized something this evening......
there will be more Asian return from middle east...they will be in Singapore looking for jobs.
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Singapore can never be like egypt but the worst case is no local born singaporean in singapore only forginers from east asian and China, why? local yong people are rich to go oversea to live and work and never come back, that is when all old folks are gone. LKY might not see soon. I think he is worried. As our local KK birth population decease. it PAP mistake to make Singaporean too rich and intake many outsiders.
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Also PAP mistake in education as it focus too much on born gifted talents and never care enough about average student in education. Also thinking that can use money to give people so that people can contuine support them.
