Say what you will about the type of democracy LKY created, and nurtured, after stepping down as Prime Minister in 1990, the net result is an economic miracle unrivaled in Southeast Asia that has punched way above its weight for decades. It has done so for several reasons - including its ability to constantly adapt to regional and global economic realities, by expanding its physical size, by encouraging foreigners to live and work there, but also by maintaining a diplomatic presence on the global stage that has made it a 'player', in its own way.
When LKY assumed office in 1959, Singapore had fewer than 2 million inhabitants. Today, it is approaching 6 million, many of whom are foreigners, who have helped make the country a regional financial and technology powerhouse, but who have also produced much of the hard labor that was essential to achieving Singapore's incredible growth. In 1960, Singapore's GDP was less than $1 billion; in 2014 it was just under $300 billion. In 1960, the country's GDP per capita was $427 per person; in 2013 is was over $55,000 per person. By any measure, this is an astonishing success story.
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