The visionary and sometimes authoritarian prime minister overhauled the education system and made English the common language, creating a highly skilled multilingual workforce. At the same time, Lee clamped down on corruption, slashed taxes, and – controversially – banned trade unions in an attempt to attract foreign investment.

Lee's policies had the desired effect and foreign money poured in, stimulating double-digit growth. The government spent its new-found wealth on improving Singapore's infrastructure, housing, and other amenities. By the 1970s, the standard of living in the up-and-coming city-state had markedly improved.

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