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If it's just a cultural thing, how would you compare Singapore to Ireland for instance ? They have roughly the same population, while Ireland's GDP is 500 billi

If it's just a cultural thing, how would you compare Singapore to Ireland for instance ? They have roughly the same population, while Ireland's GDP is 500 billion and Singapore "only" 400 billion. Are Singapore people about 100 billion dollars lazier, less educated and with a worse attitude ? Are Ireland people and culture that much aimed towards hard work, sacrifice and effort ? Yes, a working government, educated people, hard work sacrifice and effort all weight on the scale when it comes to how a country will be doing. But reducing a whole country's issues to that is naive and misleading in a pretty perverse way in my opinion. Too often it's also used the other way round to explain a country's success, and pat oneself on the back for being virtuous and hard working when things are just so much more complex and nuanced.

boeingUH60 3y ago
You asked such a weird question. Singapore and Ireland are both successful countries with GDP per capitas in the tens of thousands. And we know why; good government, hard-working population, and low corruption. Comparing them because of a little GDP difference is pedantic. Philippines, on the other hand, elected the son of their former dictator that looted billions from the country. Shows you a country that’s not ready to progress because the majority actively votes for corruption and shuns integrity.
- makeitdouble 3y ago
  The issue with this line of reasonning is we'd find similar issues in most of the other "successful" countries. I don't think people look at most US presidents as beacons of human value and righfullness. Same for South Korea or Japan leaders. The US basically swapped "corruption" for "lobbying", revolving doors and other more evolved systems. But we'll find explaination for why it doesn't matter for these countries in particular. And these probably include the general population being wealthy enough to not let things slide behind a critical point and take a hit when shit is about to hit the fan. Perhaps my point is there's no specific recipe for success, and in particular perception of "good government, hard-working population, and low corruption" often come after the other issues are solved and the country is on the rise.

boeingUH60 3y ago

You asked such a weird question. Singapore and Ireland are both successful countries with GDP per capitas in the tens of thousands. And we know why; good government, hard-working population, and low corruption. Comparing them because of a little GDP difference is pedantic. Philippines, on the other hand, elected the son of their former dictator that looted billions from the country. Shows you a country that’s not ready to progress because the majority actively votes for corruption and shuns integrity.

makeitdouble 3y ago
The issue with this line of reasonning is we'd find similar issues in most of the other "successful" countries. I don't think people look at most US presidents as beacons of human value and righfullness. Same for South Korea or Japan leaders. The US basically swapped "corruption" for "lobbying", revolving doors and other more evolved systems. But we'll find explaination for why it doesn't matter for these countries in particular. And these probably include the general population being wealthy enough to not let things slide behind a critical point and take a hit when shit is about to hit the fan. Perhaps my point is there's no specific recipe for success, and in particular perception of "good government, hard-working population, and low corruption" often come after the other issues are solved and the country is on the rise.