trust and respect, is mirrored in many government leader's statements about leadership. It might be said of Lee's leadership that it is trust in action, hard earned and highly valued. Lee and his colleagues in government in the mid-1960s sought to amass political power at the center in order to better deal with the many political and developmental problems the fledgling state faced. The government built up institutions like the People's Association to better network and to mobilize the population in support of government initiatives. Though periodic elections are held, the People's Action Party has always been returned with huge parliamentary majorities. It has selected and nurtured a civil service that has a deserved reputation for integrity and effectiveness, which enables the party to deliver on its election promises. However, the government is now beginning to feel some pressure to allow for more civic action and participation.A better educated, better traveled population wants more consultation,choice, and involvement. New technologies now make it less possible to control the flow of information to citizens. The nature of the global economy makes overcentralization and bureaucratically-managed states less responsive and thus less effective. Recessions in 1986-1987 and in 1998 have underlined the need for greater liberalization in economic and financial matters.