The Persistence of Support for the Ruling Party in Singapore: A Study of Competitive Authoritarianism

Abstract: This thesis investigates the reasons behind the continuation of legitimisation for the ruling party in Singapore, despite its undemocratic practices. The main hypothesis is that the ruling party has effectively utilised competitive authoritarianism, which involves the use of manipulation and repression to maintain control over the public and convince or pressure them to vote for the party. Through an explanatory case study utilising the deviant case model, the analysis found that Singapore exhibits several characteristics of a competitive authoritarian state, including elections that are not fully free and fair, limited protection of civil liberties, and an unequal playing field for opposition parties. Despite these issues, a majority of respondents in a survey indicated confidence in the ruling party and satisfaction with the functioning of democracy in Singapore. The study concludes that the ruling party has been successful in its implementation of competitive authoritarianism and in convincing the public that the government's responsibility is to govern and make decisions for the public rather than on the behalf of the public.