Today’s topic in focus is on class divide in Singapore. The society of Singapore can be said to be highly stratified along the class lines, where members of each class have different access to resources and power. It is a growing concern as the gap between the haves and have-nots seem to grow larger, and society can become deeply divided with increased tension based on these fault lines.
A commissioned study examining the public opinion about social divide showed “unsettling” results. Watch this video below to see the study findings:
There are multiple factors contributing to the deepening class divide, and one of them is the education system. From the study results, the lower-income group believes in education as a way out of poverty. However, if the education system disadvantages the students with less access to resources from the start, is it performing a social levelling function as expected?
Does meritocracy still work?
Singapore runs on a meritocratic system. It rewards those who achieve good results, have skills, talent or experience. There is also a deep-seated narrative of ‘individual hard work pays off’. A key assumption of meritocracy is that everyone starts on a level playing field, and social mobility plays a role in making sure that those who do well can rise, and those who do not will fall.
In Singapore’s early years, meritocracy functioned well and students regardless of family background could compete and move to the top. Today, we are less confident of social mobility. Parents with more financial and social capital (social networks, and business connections) can easily pass on those advantage to their children by giving them a head-start at different points of their education. The differences are pronounced. Students are cognizant of those differences in expectations, opinions, and even behavior, or speech. Watch the responses of secondary school students from different educational track in the documentary from 26:30 – 31:15.
Classes are functional for a society
In our system, roles in society are assigned based on the merits. It is inevitable that there would be people taking on jobs that are less prestigious, less rewarding financially, but still essential for the order of society. This view that stratification is essential is based on the functionalist perspective of social theories. Advocates of this view include sociologists Davis and Moore who hold the view that society needs to encourage suitable talents to make sacrifices to acquire the training needed for high-skilled roles which are valuable. The rewards of that role needs to be highly incentivising. In this regard, educational tracks are systems put in place to allocate resources, preparing students of varying abilities to enter the labour market with the needed skills.
What, then, is the incentive to address class divide?
Building a cohesive society, where people feel like they can belong, not alienated from the community is important for a nation’s long-term success. When society becomes too deeply divided due to perceived differences, and they are unable to empathise with the needs and values of the other group, fears of an ungovernable population may come true.
For instance, policymakers, and political leaders, assumingly from a higher class background, with little experience of mixing with people from different social classes, may not make decisions that are relatable or sensible to the masses of middle, and lower, classes. They may be more inclined to advance their own class’ interests, and tension may brew. Hong Kong is an example of how high income gaps results in political polarisation.
We need to consider what narratives and ideas we want to build this society upon. Can we inspire members of society to pursue aspirations and giving all a chance to succeed? Or are we content to let the system run and allow for resentment to brew when more people feel they are being structurally limited?
Questions for personal evaluation:
- How important is it for the playing field to be equal?
- To what extent is it realistic to expect a classless society?
Useful vocabulary/phrases:
- ‘Destitute’: extremely poor and lacking the means to provide for oneself
- ‘Obscurity’: the state of being unknown, inconspicuous, or unimportant
- ‘Pertinence’: the quality of being relevant, on point
Here are more related articles for further reading:
- World Economic Forum: A brief explanation on why income inequality looks different in different countries.
“To explain why some advanced capitalist countries are more unequal than others, we need to look beyond the market and explore the role of politics and power in shaping distributive outcomes.”
- Washington Post: A local professor’s view and analysis on Singapore’s attempt at fixing meritocracy.
“Today, the Singaporean idea of meritocracy is criticized for entrenching structural limits on mobility; for its overly narrow idea of merit and success; and for an increasingly self-regarding elite that seems too interested in staying in power and that citizens perceive as arrogant and unresponsive to their needs.
There has, however, been some attempt to re-balance meritocracy, bringing the egalitarian considerations back by introducing redistributive policies in a cautious shift to the left, partly no doubt in reaction to strong signals of popular displeasure in the general elections of 2011. A “compassionate,” “inclusive” and “lifelong” meritocracy has found its way onto the government’s agenda, including changes to its “pressure-cooker educational system,” criticized for streaming students into pathways that determine their life prospects at a very early age.”
- Ricemedia: An opinion on the failings of the CNA documentary, and on a broader policy level, in addressing what caused social inequality.
“The problem of inequality, which some call the greatest economic problem of the 21st century, can’t be resolved simply by the rich and poor being ‘a little nicer’ to each other.
This is sad because much of what the CNA video advocates is admirable. Yes, there is no excuse for snobbery. Yes, basic respect should not be dependent on income. There should be no rich-poor stratification, and we should not segregate ourselves from those less fortunate.
Photo by Christian Chen on Unsplash