Monday, February 21, 2011

Past
Religion and racial disharmony
---Very serious problem before, during and after the merger
---Racial riots was one of the major reasons in separation
---E.g. Maria Hertogh riots, 1964 riots
Poor living conditions
---Rats and pests were rampant in the early days of independence
---Many people died from diseases
Low standards of education
---Very few schools in Singapore, especially for the Chinese
---Chinese schools received much less budget than English schools during colonial rule
Many did not have the chance to complete secondary education

Present
Declining birth rate
---Education has caused many young men and women to put off marriage and childbirth until their early 30s or even later
---Divorce rates rising
Ageing population
---Due to declining birth rate
---Heavy burden on the working class population
---Population may decline eventually
Brain drain
---Talents migrating overboard for greener pastures
---Scholarships provided for overseas studies, but many never come back
Lack of land and resources
---Densely populated areas of land:16 cm2 of land per person
---No natural resources to fall back on should imports or exports rates decline


Future
Influx of immigrants
---Foreign talents in search of jobs and opportunities here: reducing opportunities for Singaporeans
---Population growth only due to immigrants.
Unemployment rates
---Population grows, but jobs do not grow as not enough industrial space in Singapore (lack of land, natural resources and too many people for too less jobs)
---Economy may go into decline
Too small
---Country too small: may be wiped out in conflict, or when trade stops
---Too dependent on trading for economy: economy and population may decline should trade decline

Done by: Tan Guan Hao, Kevin Yee, Chan Zhi Xian, Yang Qilong