Theodoric Chew

Imagine turning a poor fishing village into one of the richest nations on Earth.

With no natural resources.

This is the story of how one man did exactly that: 

It's 1965. Singapore is in crisis.

Raw sewage flows through muddy streets. Clean water is scarce. Electricity, a luxury.

Different ethnic groups are at war. Unemployment is at 14%. The average person earns $500/year.

Most predicted collapse. 

The British pulled their military bases - which employed 25% of the workforce.

Malaysia had just expelled them from their federation.

Indonesia was threatening invasion.

And racial riots were turning streets into battlegrounds.

Then stepped in Lee Kuan Yew. 

A Cambridge-educated lawyer who'd become Singapore's first PM.

Lee had a clear vision: Transform Singapore into an Asian Switzerland.

His practical approach to governance would become a model for all developing nations. 

His first move was unthinkable for a developing nation.

While other nations focused inward, Lee opened Singapore to the world.

He welcomed foreign investment, offered tax incentives, and built world-class infrastructure.

Singapore became a beacon for global business. 

His masterstroke? Making English Singapore's primary language.

While other Asian nations maintained traditional approaches, Lee prepared Singapore for global commerce.

It was a bold decision, but one that would position Singapore perfectly for international trade. 

Lee believed Singapore's greatest asset was its people.

So he created the world's most demanding education system:
• Bilingual education became standard
• Merit-based advancement
• Focus on practical skills
• World-class universities

The results were INSANE... 

By 1990, Singapore's students ranked first globally in math and science.

The system produced engineers, bankers, and scientists at an unprecedented rate.

Singapore had turned its population into intellectual capital.

And money followed the minds.

Lee developed a unique philosophy of governance.

He believed nations shouldn't be bound by ideology, but guided by what works.

Every decision focused on the next 50 years, not the next election.

Merit, harmony, and strong institutions became pillars of the "Singapore Model". 

His government focused on efficiency:

They built integrated communities through thoughtful housing policies.

They invested in public infrastructure.

They created strong institutions.

Everything was designed for long-term success.

Lee believed that corruption killed economic development.

So he decided to pay government officials like CEOs.

Singapore's ministers became the highest-paid politicians in the world. The Prime Minister earned more than the US President.

Corruption vanished overnight.

It didn't stop there:

Singapore became Asia's financial hub and Lee went all in on building modern banking infrastructure.

Money flooded in from Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Singapore became the Switzerland of Asia. 

After 31 years of Lee's leadership, Singapore was literally unrecognizable.

• The average person earned more than Americans.
• Schools ranked first globally
• Everyone owned a home
• Harmony replaced riots

A testament to Lee's pragmatic leadership. 

Lee Kuan Yew proved something remarkable:

With clear vision and practical policies, a nation can transform itself in one just one generation.

Singapore's success story has inspired developing nations worldwide.

A blueprint for sustainable development.

A bit about me:

Founded &amp; scaled Asia's largest mental healthcare company (backed by Tiger Global &amp; YC).

Building in public, sharing founder lessons from 0 to serving 4M+ lives.

Follow for insights on startup building, healthcare tech &amp; scaling in Asia.
https://theodoric.com/