Subjectivity and the reinvention of an industrial regime: The case of Singapore

Abstract

The path to democratic governance is a winding one and represents a massive project that has evolved over several decades. However, studies on Asia Pacific development have tended to presume a determinate relationship between capitalization and authoritarianism. This article maintains that state action is complex and often contingent. Thus, studying subjectivation and governance can help dispel the myth of the monolithic and incontestable state. Specifically, this study investigates the authoritarian state of Singapore in the process of reinventing its economy and society in the wake of the Asian financial crisis and September 11. The aim is to examine the episodic and opportunistic process of interaction between parties significant to the shaping of state power. Using the framework of Luhmann, Foucault and Gramsci to discuss slate action and processes, this article hopes to further our understanding of the contingent and the dynamic in the constitution of power relations.