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The Singaporeans argue that they have the perfect compromise between accountability and efficiency. Their politicians are regularly tested in elections and have to make themselves available to their constituents but since the government knows it is likely to win, it can take a long view. Fixing things like ITE takes time. “Our strength is that we are able to think strategically and look ahead,” says the prime minister. “If the government changed every five years it would be harder.”
There is more truth in this than Western liberals would like to admit. Not many people in Washington are thinking beyond the 2012 presidential election. It is sometimes argued that an American administration operates strategically for only around six months, at the beginning of its second year—after it has got its staff confirmed by the Senate and before the mid-terms campaign begins.
Yet even assuming that voters are happy to swap a little more efficiency for less democracy, Singapore still seems a difficult model to follow. Not only is it manageably small, but balancing authoritarianism and accountability comes down largely to personal skills (and even the opposition admits that the two Lees have been extremely good at it). More generally, Singapore’s success as a planning state has a lot to do with the sort of people who run it.
One thing that stands out in Singapore is the quality of its civil service. Unlike the egalitarian Western public sector, Singapore follows an elitist model, paying those at the top $2m a year or more. It spots talented youngsters early, lures them with scholarships and keeps investing in them. People who don’t make the grade are pushed out quickly.

A. 어휘
accountability 책임. efficiency 능률. regularly 定期的(정기적)으로.
available 유용한. constituents 선거구민, 구성분.
liberals 자유주의자, 진보주의자. administration 행정부.
confirm 認准(인준)하다. mid-terms campaign 중간 선거운동.
swap 교환하다. planning state 계획국가.
has a lot to do with 관계가 많다. egalitarian 평등주의적인.
public sector 공공부문. spots 분간하다. lure 誘引(유인)하다.
make the grade 표준에 이르다, 성공하다. are pushed out 퇴출시키다.