FINANCIALISATION OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN SINGAPORE: THE EMERGENCE OF INVESTORS?

Abstract

This thesis seeks to explore why despite Singapore's state-led efforts towards neoliberalism and financialisation since the 1980s, its successful impact in creating a nation of investors has been questionable. Using interviews and participant-observation at national financial literacy workshops, it will be illustrated that the state's promotion of financialisation is not necessarily straightforward and homogenous and that there are contestations in reproducing the neoliberalinvestor subjectivity. In particular, prevailing cultural values of thrift, savings and hard work, and historically contingent experiences constitute resistance to the full transformation of saver to investor subjects in Singapore. The case of Singapore highlights the importance of localised socio-political and cultural factors to the seemingly homogenising global forces of financialisation.