Social Studies Chapter 2 - How do we decide on what is good for society

The government manages conflicting demands by the use of trade-offs. Define trade-offs.

A situation where one must choose between/balance two things as they cannot be had at the same time.

How does a bill become a law?

Bills proposed by the MPs are debated extensively in Parliament to decide whether they can be passed and become laws. Bills have to be approved by Presidential Council of Minority Rights (PCMR) to ensure that laws do not discriminate anyone, particularly the minorities When PCMR approves, these bills are sent to the President and with his assent, the bills become laws.

Who is the head of the judicial branch?

Chief Justice

What are the functions of the Parliament?

Debate and pass laws Ensure that government spends nation's finances prudently Serve as Committee of Supply where various Ministries present budgets and MPs can question ministers on proposed expenditure. The approval from Parliament is needed for various ministries to receive their annual funds.

Why do differences arise when deciding what is good for society? State an example.

Different people have differing needs. e.g. needs of car owners different from those taking MRT. car owners want government to improve road networks while those taking MRT want government to help ensure less crowded trains by having more during peak hours/expand MRT lines so that going to certain places will be more convinient

What is the function of the Judiciary?

Ensure government follows Constitution and state laws Impose appropriate judgements to those who break the law

Give an example of differing priorities which make it challenging to work for the good of society.

Everyone agrees that education and healthcare is something the government should invest more in but the disagreements stem from priorities of citizens Parents with school-going children would want the government to invest more on education while senior citizens would want the government to invest more in healthcare

What are the four ideas shaping governance?

Good leadership Anticipating Change and Staying Relevant Providing a stake for everyone Practice meritocracy

Explain why unequal sharing of costs is a challenge when working for the good of society.

Government has to decide who should bear the costs - some people may be affected more than others

Explain the idea of having good leadership.

Government leaders should be honest and capable, having the integrity to do what is right such as making decisions that may not be popular with the people. They should also be morally upright and incorruptible as corruptible leaders will make decisions that only benefit themselves and not the people. hence incorruptible leaders are needed for well-being of people in the country. In Singapore, leaders are expected to have the right values and will be removed from their positions if found to lack in integrity and to be incapable. If they break any laws they will be brought to justice as these leaders are not above the law in Singapore.

What are the 3 organs of state in Singapore?

Legislature Judiciary Executive

Why does the government tend to prioritize needs and interests of the majority over the minority?

Limited resources

Give an example that shows that unequal sharing of costs is a challenge when working for the good of society.

MRT lines have to be built to improve transport infrastructure. But this will result in noise for those who live near the construction sites. They are the ones bearing costs while others benefit from improvements.

Explain the idea of practicing meritocracy.

Meritocracy - system where people are rewarded based on efforts and abilities instead of factors such as race, religion and SES. Singapore practices meritocracy which is a factor for Singapore's success as people are rewarded based on efforts and abilities. Example: Edusave Scholarship and Merit Bursary - students rewarded through meritocracy. However meritocracy may benefit higher SES families more as they have the financial resources to provide their children with a head start compared to those with lower SES. As a result government encourages compassionate meritocracy - more privileged help less privileged.

What is NIMBY syndrome, in the context of unequal sharing of costs?

NIMBY syndrome (not in my backyard syndrome) describes those who generally welcome improvements but don't want inconveniences that come with it.

The ministers in the executive are responsible for?

Planning and implementing government policies

Function of the executive?

Prepare government policies and oversee the daily admin of the country

What does the Legislature comprise of?

President and Parliament

The Executive consists of?

Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister Ministers-in-charge of various 16 ministries

What does parliament consist of?

SOP (speaker of parliament) PM Ministers NCMP (non-constituency MPs) NMP (nominated MPs)

State an examples where trade-offs are seen in Singapore.

Singapore has a small land area which makes land planning full of trade offs. When the government saw the need to build the Thomson-East Coast line, plans of building commerical and residential buildings had to be abandoned. This trade off was considered necessary as MRT line would benefit many (about 500k to 1 million people) on a daily basis when it opened in 2021

Explain the idea of anticipating change and staying relevant.

Some decisions will affect people in the short term but the government has to look at the long-term benefits of their policies. Leaders have to be forward looking as they have to consider the long-term survival of Singapore. e.g. IRs - casinos were part of these resorts. Social costs had to be weighed against the economic benefits IRs would bring as IRs could bring jobs and high tourist spending. Because it benefits society the government approved IRs. NCPG established to deal with the social costs, educating public on why it's dangerous to gamble and to counsel compulsive gamblers and families

The Judiciary consists of which courts?

Supreme Court Family Justice Courts State Courts

Judicial power is vested in ___________________ and laws made by the Legislature are _______________________ by the Judiciary

Supreme Court interpreted and applied

In terms of differing needs and interests, what does the government have to do in order to work for the betterment of society?

Think about how best to use resources - resources are finite

Explain the idea of providing a stake for everyone.

When citizens have a say in the decision making process it develops their sense of belonging in the country, hence government has created many opportunities of citizens to share views. PHS where Singaporeans are enabled to own homes through housing grants from government and through CPF, having home ownership contributes to the citizens' sense of belonging to country OSC - year long effort to get as many Singaporeans as possible to share views on how to make Singapore a better place for everyone to live in.

What is a representative democracy?

a government in which citizens choose a smaller group to govern on their behalf

What is a democracy?

government by the people

What are the functions of the government?

make laws implement laws interpret and apply laws

Representatives in the representative democracy have...?

the political legitimacy to decide on behalf of the citizens especially where are conflicting demands and interests