Social Studies.

Diplomacy & Deterrence.

1. Do impressions count?
Interdependence between Singapore tree & other trees?
 Are they useful or detrimental relationships?

2. Is competition bad?
Competition ↔ Cooperation
 People create cliques (groups) for security
[Common interest] => but when this is disturbed by something (e.g. lack of resources):
COMPETITION

3. Will diplomacy always bring about a win-win situation?

INFLUENCE
 Military progress
 Money
Having to ‘give up’ something to another country => How will people view the government?

4. When will countries go to war?

 Is war an act of diplomacy?

Why do we disagree?
Conflict of interest (different POVs)

DIPLOMACY.
Role of diplomacy
 Cooperate for benefits (↑trade/business, ↑income)
 Need resources
Definition of diplomacy
 Form of conduct between countries
 The exercise of instruments at the country’s disposal (POWER) to achieve their national
interests w.r.t. other countries
 Form of negotiation to build ties for national interests
 Politics is the aggregation of diverse interests in society (which includes war)

Resources: COMPETE or COOPERATE

Reasons for war

 Desire to conquer
 Need for resources
 Diplomacy fails
*How are war & diplomacy related?
War is an extreme form/extension of diplomacy (?)

Why does a diplomat need to go to another country?

Understanding the country’s best interests [Who defines this? = Government/Citizens/NGOs]
 What the country needs & wants
 What the country is willing to give up (compromise)

What shapes a country’s foreign policy?

National interests

Core Periphery
Enforce laws to maintain order  Role of government  Welfare of people

Act in the interests of the people

Why does government think that foreign talent is core

 Ageing population, small working class, slower progress
 Stability of economy (underlying principle)

At times, the government does things that do not reflect the interests of the people.
Policy of deeds vs Policy of principles

Quotes.
1. “War is an extension of politics by other means, diplomacy is the ‘politics’ within countries”
2. “Britain has no permanent allies, only permanent interests”
3. “Diplomacy is an act of telling someone to go to hell & making him look forward to it.
4. “My enemies’ enemy is my friend.”

Countries are selfish/self-serving who do things that only benefit themselves.

When SG gives foreign aid, it gives according to its importance to its national interests

“POWER” in Diplomacy
The ability to modify other countries’ behaviour
Power comes from within:
 Status in society (e.g. geographical condition)
 Military
 Sometimes from undefined sources (e.g. Vatican City – pope has a lot of power despite small
economy & military)

SG is small & vulnerable, with no natural resources but she can be drawn bigger than any other
country in terms of...
 Map of military strength
 Map of capital GDP
 Map of influence in international affairs (e.g. APEC, led international condemnation of
Vietnam invasion = Goh Kong Tong’s idea)
SG is not overall, holistically small

Does small always lead to vulnerable? NO.

 Malaysia & Indonesia think that SG is big and threatening
 E.g. Vatican City is not vulnerable, even though it is in Italy
 E.g. Monaco is not vulnerable, even though it is in France

No natural resources
Even though Africa is a continent with the most natural resources it is still very backward cause
natural resources are not profitable:
E.g. RICE (10kg → 2 – 5¢)
 Price controlled by international cartel
 In NTUC = $8, Chicken rice → 2 cups, 20 people, $20
 Primary production is very little
SG: Tertiary production, NOT primary
 E.g. Diamond miner in Africa → Big piece: $5000. Sell overseas, a small chip: $25000

Is vulnerability time-based? NO.

In 1965, SG was small in all aspects & vulnerable.
Now, SG is big and not as vulnerable.
Singapore was not originally cast out.
Started drafting proposal in June 1965
[Included supply of water in proposal = supply cheap water for 60 years]
But PM of Malaysia too impatient, signed immediately without looking in August 1965

M’sia has 3 points of leverage against SG

 Invasion (LKY had to agree to M’sia troops escorting him to the first parliament of
Independent SG for fear of reaction in M’sia)
 Water (even though SG has trade with many other countries, M’sia is still the most
important)
 Entrepot trade (most goods by M’sia)

SG has done many things to appease M’sia

 Changed flag to “not look communist”
 National language → Malay, though only 20% of the people were Malays
 Army command language → Malay
 Special rights to M’sia
 Tried not to be looked at as Chinese country (only formed relations with China when M’sia &
Indonesia did)

Michael Leifer: “tyranny of geography” → influenced relations with M’sia

 Geographically small
 In a region culturally different from us
 Burden of history
 Personal ties & national interest