Singapore’s Global City Challenges: National Identity, Cosmopolitan Aspirations, Migrant Requirements

Abstract

This paper argues that while urbanisation is an inevitable trend and process around the world, it carries with it the seeds of political discontent, social unrest and economic challenges. Even for a relatively politically stable city-state like Singapore, the exposure to global forces (globalisation; geopolitical changes; international economic competition) and national challenges (foreign labour; employment; health care, housing) is testing the political management and governance of its ruling party. The important urban trend is that second echelon cities (below eight million people) are likely in the coming decades to be the drivers and catalyst of development in the world and hence states need to move away from mega-city development.