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4. Singapore and the Soft Power Experience

 According to Alan Chong as a Professor at Rajaratnam School of International Studies

in Singapore who publish on the notion of soft power and the role of ideas in constructing
the international relations of Singapore and Asia, soft power refers to the ability for states
to “get others to want what you want through cooptation or appeal,” and this power can
be nurtured. Since small states are easily drawn towards bigger states by their centripetal
communitarian forces and overshadowed by the political will of bigger states, they rely on
soft power to overcome these vulnerabilities.
 Soft power is integral to attaining small state goals in the international system for a number
of reasons that are also characteristic of itself: First, an “intermestic condition” in national
governance because Government policies react or anticipate changes in the international
system. And because of their small size, small states' administrations must rely on civil
society and economic sectors (we can see Singapore as excellent example) to persuade and
mobilize them in a cooperative manner. In large measure the effectiveness of soft power
depends on how far government and society can act in unison. Second, ability to circulate
omnidirectional, is to achieve long term and widespread influence (not targeting one part
of society). Thirdly, soft power demands consistency and credibility, if government and
society cannot project a measure of unity for the purposes of foreign policy projection, then
the latter could hardly be expected to be taken seriously abroad. Therefore, Singaporean
soft power effectiveness will be examined through a few demonstration cases such as the
Asian Values Debate, the export of the Singapore Model of Development, and
humanitarian aid diplomacy. Firstly, we will take a look to the origins of Singaporean soft
power.

 The origins of Singaporean soft power

 Geographical circumstances and British colonialism, because of geographical

circumstances and the evolution of the nationalist trajectory tend Singapore to end
the British colonialism in Southeast Asia, soft power posed a philosophical attraction for
the leaders of the Republic of Singapore.
 Singapore as an “export outlet of the hinterland of Malay Peninsula” Singapore's deep
port encouraged the flow of goods, ideas, and people of various religions and cultures
through its port, which is located along the major east–west trade route between the Indian
Ocean, the Straits of Melaka, and the South China Sea. Singapore served as both the major
export outlet for British extractive industries in Malaya and the ‘Gibraltar of the East,' from
which British gunboat diplomacy asserted its presence in the region, for nearly a century
and a half.
 Japanese occupation because Japan occupation stoked the nascent centrifugal streams of
anti-colonial nationalism on the Singapore. By this, many local migrants' groups in
Singapore expressed anti-colonial views in response to the situation in their ancestral
homelands. Similarly, Malay nationalism in Singapore absorbed influences from Malaya
 and the Middle East. Through their propaganda of a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity
Sphere, the Japanese invaders capitalized on such beliefs. Furthermore, the British
contributed to the situation by being indecisive in their strategy to prepare the local
education and welfare institutions for self-government.
 Developmental strategy of PAP (People’s Action Party), because authoritarian
corporatism tends to create an industrialized economy based on exports. As a result, the
PAP state's interpretation of soft power was a corporatist develop mentalism narrative
focused on attracting foreign capital as an engine of externally-driven growth while
distributing material gains to the population through qualified welfare of Singaporean.
 Singapore Model of Development (SMD) as comprising three “Cs”: First, Credibility, it
applied to the political promises, programs, and politicians, such as talent development and
unwavering anti-corruption vigilance. Second, Cohesion, it was to be manifested in the
qualities of teamwork, diligence and harmony of purpose in the face of common adversity.
Third, Confidence, was to be actualized through paternalistic leadership, its virtues in
implementing strict law and order, and its planning for a long-term communitarian good.
- These three "Cs" are commonly implemented in Singaporean politics, such as
teamwork, pragmatism and flexibility while maintaining the basics of good
government and welcoming the world as a united nation.

Humanitarian aid diplomacy

The humanitarian aid element of Singapore's soft power was never intended to be a prominent
feature of the SMD. Humanitarian operations were a contribution to the notion of good governance
at home – the incorporation of civil defense units into the internal security structure; the token
disaster relief operation in friendly states

- Teamwork and united responses. Ex: Responses to the 2004 Indian Ocean
Tsunami Disaster, the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, and the Sichuan
earthquake in China in 2008.
- Builds a community of fate. Singaporean participation in relief operations
manifests community in a tangible way to both foreign governments and their
publics and this effort it is acknowledged by the beneficiary and interaction with
Singapore. Meanwhile, in both the tsunami and the Nargis relief operations, the
Singaporean prime minister either convened or encouraged important assistance
donors and receivers to hold a relief coordination conference to draft strategies for
coordinating aid supplies and allocating labor to guarantee that no regions were
overlooked.
Answer:
I think soft power can gain weight in the sense that soft power of small state not only shape
foreigners’ perceptions or other states of the its identity but can also become inspiration for “hard
power” (for example, Singapore and China can build such a positive image of themselves.

I think, small states have significant powers when we take a look to their culture, education,
trade, tourism or personal exchanges. These are all important areas of soft power. Singapore, for
example, has a very good image in international relations with its smaller size and population,
appears to perform very well.