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Making Singapore's tripartism work (faster): the formation of the Singapore National Employers' Federation in 1980

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  • Peter Sheldon
  • Bernard Gan
  • David Morgan

Abstract

We locate the 1980 formation of the Singapore National Employers' Federation (SNEF) within a history of Singaporean tripartism. This redresses a general neglect of employer associations in that system and suggests re-conceptualising Singaporean tripartism into three overlapping phases between 1960 and 1985. The motivations for the first two are well understood. Once in government, the People's Action Party (PAP) suppressed political and union opposition and then sought legitimacy and the integration of Singapore's working class, including by providing a central role for a subordinated union movement. We argue that in a third phase, emerging during the 1970s, PAP brought employer associations into its national distributed leadership model that meshed close personal ties and institutional tripartite roles. SNEF's formation was necessary for rapid tripartite implementation of the PAP's radical shift in economic strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Sheldon & Bernard Gan & David Morgan, 2015. "Making Singapore's tripartism work (faster): the formation of the Singapore National Employers' Federation in 1980," Business History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(3), pages 438-460, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:bushst:v:57:y:2015:i:3:p:438-460
    DOI: 10.1080/00076791.2014.983484
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