Trump and Kim met for their summit at a special location—Singapore, which seems like the symbolic capital of the new autocratic era. Its ruler, Lee Hsien Loong, embodies the questionable principle of sacrificing freedom for prosperity and security. He earns $7,350 per day. No other head of government in the world receives a higher salary than he does. Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong earns as much as an investment banker and wields power like a dictator. He blends the best elements of capitalism and communism—for his country and for himself. As a result, Singapore has become a wealth giant but also a bonsai democracy—a Disneyland with the death penalty.
Singapore – An Authoritarian Success Model?
The city-state is regarded as a prime example of successful autocracies in the 21st century. And the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-un is something of a global accolade for Lee Hsien Loong. The summit in the capital of autocrats carries deep symbolic meaning. Many neo-autocrats have long viewed Singapore as a model and governing principle for modern politics. “Singaporeanism” has an astonishing number of admirers even in the West and refers to a police state with a one-party system and turbo-capitalism. It generates immense prosperity and security—though at the expense of freedom, democracy, and human rights.
For Kim, the summit location offers a personal advantage: Singapore has not signed the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. No dictator will be extradited from here, making the city-state a safe haven for Kim & Co. Not even protests or demonstrations need to concern Kim and Trump here. Singapore operates under the tranquility of a hyper-controlled, digitally advanced police and surveillance state. Order, cleanliness, and punctuality reign here like almost nowhere else in the world. It is often called “the Switzerland of Southeast Asia,” but that comparison is an insult to the Swiss and their great democratic tradition.
Strict Laws and Harsh Punishments
Unlike the polyphonic democracy of Switzerland, Singapore’s all-dominating "People’s Action Party" (PAP) governs a society shaped by control and authority. Selling chewing gum can result in up to two years in prison. Street musicians who "annoy the audience," people who spit on the ground or discard cigarette butts, those who sing "obscenely" or feed pigeons, or even those who fail to flush a public toilet face heavy fines or even imprisonment. Two German graffiti artists from Leipzig who decorated a Singaporean subway train were sentenced to caning and nine months in jail. Singapore is determined to remain a clean city.
It is even worse for LGBTQ+ individuals. Homosexuality is subject to draconian punishments. Article 377 of the Penal Code states: “Whoever voluntarily engages in unnatural sexual intercourse with a man, a woman, or animals shall be punished with life imprisonment or imprisonment of up to ten years and may also be fined.” Singaporeans have even less tolerance for drug users or dealers. They face the death penalty, which is carried out regularly. The harsh regime has resulted in an extremely low crime rate, making Singapore one of the safest metropolises in the world.
Control Through Digital Surveillance
Since 1965, when the current prime minister’s father seized power, the country’s politics have been monopolized by the Lee clan. Elections are manipulated, political opposition is suppressed, and trade unions, schools, universities, and the media are state-controlled. Social surveillance of the population is comprehensive. Political debate is tightly controlled and managed with cutting-edge digital technologies. Lee has long employed big data to secure his political dominance. The scope of digital monitoring and data collection is vast—from widespread video surveillance to internet censorship, Singapore operates like a real-life Big Brother state. Critical bloggers and journalists are regularly arrested. Singapore ranks a dismal 151st out of 180 countries in the press freedom index.
Economic Success and Internal Family Conflicts
Lee presents himself to the public as an avuncular social worker for his nation, yet he leaves no doubt about his claim to power. The violent suppression of the Tiananmen protests in Beijing in 1989 by China’s military is explicitly justified by his regime. Domestically and internationally, Lee has heavily armed Singapore. Its military is considered one of the most modern in Asia. The country boasts submarines from France, American F-15 fighter jets, and German Leopard 2 battle tanks. The costs of police and military consume a quarter of the national budget, placing Singapore second worldwide in military spending per capita, just behind Israel.
When human rights activists criticize him, Lee often points to the successes of his Singaporean model. Under his family’s rule, a small British trading outpost has transformed into one of the world’s richest countries. The city’s skyline, luxury hotels, amusement parks, and ultra-modern infrastructure—including the world’s busiest port—are testaments to an economic miracle that has benefited all citizens, even the lower classes. This fosters social stability. Education levels are high, the social safety net is remarkable, and the standards of healthcare and retirement security are outstanding by Asian standards.
Lee follows the capitalist principle championed by his father: nearly every Singaporean should own property, capital gains are tax-free, and stock ownership and entrepreneurship are highly encouraged. As a result, Lee’s economic model is often referred to as "Singapore Inc." His family even controls the state investment fund Temasek, which manages assets worth $300 billion, including a majority stake in Singapore Airlines. This makes Singapore visibly a state-run corporation focused on maximizing profits while maintaining absolute internal stability.
However, Lee now faces unexpected trouble from within his own family. His own sister, Lee Wei Ling, a well-known neurosurgeon, and his younger brother, Lee Hsien Yang, the former head of Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel), have accused him in an open letter of abuse of power, nepotism, and an obsession with popularity. They claim to have lost faith not only in their brother but also in Singapore’s future. The real issue is succession: who will inherit Lee’s power—his son Li Hongyi or his brother’s son Li Shengwu?
The succession dispute has become a major political topic in Singapore. While the rebellious siblings hold no direct political power, their feud shakes a system that has long relied on the charisma, power, and untouchability of the Lee family. Lee must now fight to maintain his authority, his succession plan, and even his salary.
Once before, he came under public pressure over his lavish earnings and was forced to cut his salary by a third. Yet even with $7,350 per day, he remains the world’s highest-paid ruler. And the summit with Trump and Kim only cements his position.
For more information on Kim Jong-un and Dr. Wolfram Weimer, visit: https://www.excellente-unternehmer.de/redner/wolfram-weimer-chefredakteur-die-welt-focus-journalist-des-jahres.html
