Politics & Goverance

Singapore, an island smaller than New York City with a 2024 population of less than six million, has come a long way in the last century. The prosperous Asian nation with the gleaming skyline currently leads the world in the average life expectancy of its residents.

The accomplishment is all the more remarkable when one considers what pre-World War II Singapore was like under British colonial rule.

Strategically located at the crossroads of major maritime routes, Singapore was a thriving trade hub before the war. However, the British colony was invaded by the Japanese army in February 1942 and occupied by Japan until the end of the war.

Prior to the war, the port city with an eclectic mix of one million residents (mostly Chinese, Malay, Indians, and some Europeans) attracted merchants from around the world, including China, India, the Middle East, and Europe.

Despite thriving commerce due to its location on the Strait of Malacca, a major maritime trade route, the city grappled with significant social problems. Those included widespread opium addiction, prostitution, and corruption.