Moral philosophy

October 20, 1989 Margaret Thatcher and Lee Kuan Yew Photo credit: AP

When people come and say: “But what is the point of working? I can get as much on the dole!” You say: “Look! It is not from the dole. It is your neighbour who is supplying it and if you can earn your own living then really you have a duty to do it and you will feel very much better!” - Margaret Thatcher, 1987 interview for Women’s Own “there is no such thing as society”

The ideological first principles of liberalization appeals to autonomy and duty as a provider as a virtue. “Independence and self-respect flow from the ability and responsibility to take care of oneself and one’s family and are invaluable contributors to human dignity and equality” (Miller, 2020). It goes one step further to morally discredit those that chose a different path and promote competition between individuals, between firms as a force that enforces moral values to “reward individual effort and success” (Miller, 2020). Just as economic freedom is one form of freedom, so in any society there are multiple, potentially conflicting values that emerge through various complex forms of expressions. This dual nature of human motivation acknowledges both individual ambition drives and care for others was recognized by Adam Smith in his Theory of Moral Sentiment (Smith, 1790).

The ideological first principles of liberalization appeals to autonomy and duty as a provider as a virtue. “Independence and self-respect flow from the ability and responsibility to take care of oneself and one’s family and are invaluable contributors to human dignity and equality” (Miller, 2020). It goes one step further to morally discredit those that chose a different path and promote competition between individuals, between firms as a force that enforces moral values to “reward individual effort and success” (Miller, 2020). Just as economic freedom is one form of freedom, so in any society there are multiple, potentially conflicting values that emerge through various complex forms of expressions. This dual nature of human motivation acknowledges both individual ambition drives and care for others was recognized by Adam Smith in his Theory of Moral Sentiment (Smith, 1790).

How selfish soever man may be supposed, there are evidently some principles in his nature, which interest him in the fortune of others, and render their happiness necessary to him, though he derives nothing from it except the pleasure of seeing it. - Adam Smith, 1790 Theory of Moral Sentiment

men giving care packs to cardboard collectors. PHOTOS: PUNKCHARIYDRIVE

The promotion of the value of reward for work and delegation of the responsibility of welfare to families and communities is echoed in Singapore in the 2005 budget speech by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (MOF, 2005) where welfare is viewed as a “shared responsibility to help the less fortunate members of our community. The better-off must help the poor and disadvantaged – the sick, the elderly, the disabled, and the unemployed” and that the state’s role is limited and conditional. “when we do well and have budget surpluses, we can distribute some of them back to Singaporeans”. Singapore’s budget is on the low end of countries on welfare spending as % of GDP (Miller, 2020), and ultimately in the speech PM Lee defends the low taxes by first claiming nationalistic priviledge of non-obligation to follow other successful models in Europe “Our social compact is rather different” and later to appeal to moral values of “personal responsibility” and to “let people keep the fruits of their labour and businesses the rewards of their enterprise” (MOF, 2005). While the strength of the appeal to moral value may rest in the popularity of who it resonates with, the case for property rights and law enforcement claims legitimacy from a legacy of metaphors such as the tragedy of the commons and toy problems in game theory such as prisoners' dilemma.