Unit 2: Singapore’s Struggle for Independence - Conceiving a Nation Flashcards
Main events that happpened between 1950-1955?
Main events
* 1950 - Maria Hertogh Riots
* 1954 – Anti-National Service Riots
* 1955 – Elections and Significance of The Rendel Constitution
1950 - Maria Hertogh Riots (7-8pts)
- Main Cause: The British government were insensitive of their treatments towards the Indian-Muslim community.
- Hertoghs’ POV - Maria was their biological daughter, not meant to be adopted by Aminah
- British Government POV - The court has decided in favour of the Hertoghs because Aminah has mistreated Maria by letting her to get married at a very young age
- English newspapers’ POV - The pride of the British is battered due to WW2. Need to impress upon the people the superiority and civilized nature of British and European culture.
- Aminah POV - She took care of Maria since she was a child, nurtured her in the ways of the Malay customs and traditions.
- Malay press POV - Maria must not be given up. This case provided the press with the opportunity to whip up anti-colonial sentiments since India and Indonesia were already free from colonial rule.
- Muslim community POV - Maria was victimized by the British/Europeans. They were biased and disregarded our culture.
- Because the points of view clashed and certain issues were not dealt with sensitivity, for example:
- Maria being put in a convent during the trial and appeal process
- Pictures of Maria in a convent was publicized in the papers
- Newspapers reported accounts that were emotional and not necessarily based on facts
- Aminah allowing Maria to get married during the trial
- Which caused the riots to eventually break out in December 1950.
1950 - Maria Hertogh Riots: Main cause?
- Main Cause: The British government were insensitive of their treatments towards the Indian-Muslim community.
1954 – Anti-National Service Riots (10-11 pts)
- Main Reason: The British government disregarded the welfare of the Chinese community in Singapore, Chinese were dissatisfied with the British’s policies and had a negative perception of them.
- The Anti-NS Riots arose due to British’s attempt to introduce compulsory conscription in 1952.
- The endeavour was unsuccessful as it was vigorously resisted by Chinese middle school students and their parents, who did not see the need to support the British colonial government’s military efforts.
Reasons (immediate causes):
1. Funding
- British gave more funds to English schools compared to Chinese schools
- Fewer Economic Opportunities
- not enough job prospects (because British favours English speaking students because English speaking students were in higher demand in the job market) - Unfair Policies
- but British weren’t outright unfair as they were trying to suppress the communists (Chinese students) - made schools register themselves with the govt so that govt can monitor what is going on.
- why unfair? because they were targeting Chinese schools only - Replaced Curriculum with totally English Curriculum
- language and culture and identity would be affected as the school curriculum would be totally changed by totally English curriculum
- Expression of Anti-British sentiments. Resented the fact that they were forced to defend the British who discriminated against them in education and employment.
- The students were already 20 years old and above (because they stopped going to school during the war) and they felt if they would serve NS it would be a further disruption to their education after the war.
- Miscommunication that they will fight in the Malayan Emergency
- It was also the traditional belief that good men should not become soldiers.
- The Malayan Communist Party instigated the students to boycott National Service
- Mainly Chinese-educated students from the Chinese High School and Chung Cheung High School were involved in the riots.
- Consequences: 26 injured, 48 students arrested
- The Chinese students won the sympathy of the Chinese community who was against the police use of violence on the students.
- The Chinese became more politically conscious and anti-government sentiments grew stronger.
1954 – Anti-National Service Riots: Main reason?
- Main Reason: The British government disregarded the welfare of the Chinese community in Singapore, Chinese were dissatisfied with the British’s policies and had a negative perception of them.
1954 – Anti-National Service Riots: reasons (immediate causes)?
- Funding
- British gave more funds to English schools compared to Chinese schools - Fewer Economic Opportunities
- not enough job prospects (because British favours English speaking students because English speaking students were in higher demand in the job market) - Unfair Policies
- but British weren’t outright unfair as they were trying to suppress the communists (Chinese students) - made schools register themselves with the govt so that govt can monitor what is going on.
- why unfair? because they were targeting Chinese schools only - Replaced Curriculum with totally English Curriculum
- language and culture and identity would be affected as the school curriculum would be totally changed by totally English curriculum
1955 – Elections & Significance of The Rendel Constitution: main reason of founding of the rendel constitution?
- Main Reason: The Rendel Constitution was formed to recommend changes to the Constitution to allow local people to play a bigger part in the government.
- Why: To win support from the local people against Communism, the British continued to study the possibilities of granting self-government to Singapore
- The British responded by introducing constitutional changes to gradually increase local involvement in the government through elections.
1955 – Elections & Significance of The Rendel Constitution: meaning constitution, commission and elections?
- constitution - a set of laws that the government must follow.
- commission - a group of people appointed to perform a specific task.
- elections - you have a privilege to vote for a representative to represent your needs and interests in the government.
1955 – Elections & Significance of The Rendel Constitution: How the British responded to increase people’s participation in the government (the people were encouraged by the greater degree of self-government promised in the Rendel Constitution):
- increase the numbers of locally elected representatives
- automatic registration (making it more convenient for voters to vote) which enlarged the electorate to more than 300,000.
- increase local participation in elections
1955 – Elections & Significance of The Rendel Constitution: British’s Recommendation for limited self-government in 1955 (2-3pts)
- A radical change for the British – replaced the Legislative Council with a Legislative Assembly, and introduced a council of ministers.
- 25 elected representatives, 3 nominated ministers, 4 nominated unofficials, Cabinet of 6 local ministers (chief minister, 5 other local ministers (in charge of health, housing, and trade and industry) and 3 British ministers.
- Local ministers selected from elected representatives of the party that won the general election.
- Local ministers in charge of: Education, Health, Labour, Commerce and Industry, Transport and Communication, and Housing, Lands, and Local Government.
- British Ministers to oversee: External Affairs, Defence, Internal Security, Finance, Law, and the Civil Service.
- Whilst it was true that the British government had given the locals more responsibility in the governing of Singapore as part of a peaceful transition of power from Britain to the locals, the locals still did not have the right to govern themselves as the British government was still involved in some aspects.
Rendel Constitution: Support and Oppose (2pt, 3pt)
Support Rendel Constitution
● First step towards self-government and eventual independence from the British
● Local leaders given opportunities to gain experience on how to govern own country and prepare for independence
Oppose Rendel Constitution
● A Constitution imposed by British on Singapore i.e. “Rendel’s constitution”
● British still wanted to retain control over Singapore i.e. finance, internal security, defence, external affairs of Singapore
● British could still overrule any laws that the local Singapore government made
Elections - 1948, 1955, 1959 (3 paragraphs lol)
The 1948 election was important because it was the first time a local legislative body (law-making body also known as the parliament today) had seats up for elections. However, voting was restricted to British subjects, and the majority of seats were still filled by appointment. The 1951 election opened up more legislative seats, but was subject to the same restriction. The Progressive party won the most seats for both elections.
1955 was the first elections that the majority of the seats in the legislative assembly were up for contest. With the majority vote going to his Labour Front, David Marshall became the first Chief Minister democratically elected by the people in Singapore. However, after failing to secure a promise from the British for full self-government, David Marshall quit the position and was succeeded by Lim Yew Hock, who managed to do so.
The 1959 elections were the first in which all seats (51 of them) were up for grabs, meaning full self-governance. Rising dissatisfaction with the LF and Lim Yew Hock’s methods played a large part in PAP defeating the LF in the 1959 elections, and the PAP has since been in power since then.
1948 Elections (3pt)
- British only opened voting to those born in Singapore and above the age of 21.
- You also had to register to vote.
- Only 13,800 people turned out to vote out of a total population of about 960,000, of which only 250,000 were eligible.
- Singapore Progressive Party (SPP) won 3 out of 6 seats, and the other 3 were won by independents.
The 1948 election was important because it was the first time a local legislative body (law-making body also known as the parliament today) had seats up for elections. However, voting was restricted to British subjects, and the majority of seats were still filled by appointment. The 1951 election opened up more legislative seats, but was subject to the same restriction. The Progressive party won the most seats for both elections.
1955 elections (paragraph)
1955 was the first elections that the majority of the seats in the legislative assembly were up for contest. With the majority vote going to his Labour Front, David Marshall became the first Chief Minister democratically elected by the people in Singapore. However, after failing to secure a promise from the British for full self-government, David Marshall quit the position and was succeeded by Lim Yew Hock, who managed to do so.
1959 elections (paragraph)
The 1959 elections were the first in which all seats (51 of them) were up for grabs, meaning full self-governance. Rising dissatisfaction with the LF and Lim Yew Hock’s methods played a large part in PAP defeating the LF in the 1959 elections, and the PAP has since been in power since then.
