CONTEXTUALISING THE HAMMER: A HISTORICAL INQUIRY OF THE WORKERS' PARTY

Abstract

The history of the Workers' Party as a political organisation has been little understood and researched. This thesis presents a thematic study of the Workers' Party from its revival in 1971 by then secretary-general J. B. Jeyaretnam to the present day under the leadership of Low Thia Khiang. To address this, the thesis provides the historical context of the birth of The Hammer and the manner in which its political identity as part of the opposition is defined and negotiated. The evolution of the Workers' Party has to be understood in relation to the dynamics of Singapore's politics and the hostile political environment in which it is situated. It taps on The Hammer, the political organ of the Workers' Party to reinstate its own voice and agency. It is with this in mind that it will be argued that The Hammer is a site whereby the values of the People's Action Party are contested. It also examines the proposals bought up in The Hammer, which are incorporated in the political programme of the Workers' Party. At the same time, the varying approach to political engagement with the state under the respective leadership of J. B. Jeyaretnam and Low Thia Khiang is clearly evident from the pages of The Hammer and will also be discussed in this thesis. This academic exercise will end with a discussion on the problems faced by a history of student in the writing of the history of the Workers' Party.