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SingaporeSocial StudiesQuick questions
Being Part of a Globalised World
Quick questions on Why Singapore engages with the world explained: O-Level Social Studies
6short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is reason one?Show answer
The deepest reason is survival. Singapore is a small island with no natural resources and only a small home market. It cannot grow enough food, extract raw materials, or prosper by selling only to its own people. Its only path to wealth is to connect with the world: to trade globally, attract foreign investment, and earn its living from international commerce.
What are weighing engagement against the risks?Show answer
The key analytical point is that Singapore engages deeply with full awareness of the risks. Openness exposes it to global downturns, cultural pressures on its identity, and transboundary threats such as disease and terrorism. A more closed country might reduce some of these dangers. But for Singapore the calculation is clear: the benefits of engagement, prosperity, the hub role, access to talent and ideas, are so essential to its survival and success that they decisively outweigh the costs.
What is no weighing?Show answer
Show the calculation, benefits essential to survival versus manageable risks, rather than just listing reasons.
What is q1?Show answer
Explain why economic survival drives Singapore to engage deeply with the world. [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Explain two reasons, other than survival, why Singapore engages deeply with the world. [4 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Why does Singapore engage deeply despite the risks of openness? [2 marks]
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