How Singapore Actually Got RICH (With No Resources)

In 1965, Singapore was a malaria‑infested swamp with no natural resources, no army, and no future. It was kicked out of Malaysia and left to die. Today, it is one of the richest, safest, and most expensive cities on Earth. But how did they actually do it? This video dives deep into the ruthless, genius, and often controversial strategies Lee Kuan Yew used to turn a "Third World" reject into a "First World" superpower. We aren't just talking about economics; we're talking about the "benevolent dictatorship," the harsh social engineering, the death penalty for drugs, and the geopolitical chess moves that made Singapore indispensable to the world. From the "Poison Shrimp" defense strategy to the dark side of the HDB housing model, this is the untold story of Singapore Inc. 0:00 - The Day Singapore Died (1965) 02:27 - The "Benevolent" Dictatorship 07:40 - The "Sell-Out" Strategy (Why They Welcomed MNCs) 10:58 - HDB: The "Golden Handcuffs" of Housing 14:26 - The "English" Gamble (Killing Their Own Culture) 16:25 - Running the Country Like a Hedge Fund (Temasek/GIC) 18:30 - The "Poison Shrimp" Defense Strategy 20:31 - . Disneyland with the Death Penalty (Laws & Caning) 23:26 - The Human Pressure Cooker (Meritocracy & Kiasu) 25:28 - The End of the Dynasty (Lawrence Wong & 2024 Transition) 27:54 - The Verdict: Utopia or Dystopia? 45:45 - Outro