1955-56 was the peak of mass participation in Singapore’s democratic process. Singapore has a long tradition of highly politicised mutual associations, with fierce internal and external competition. From 1955, thanks to the new government, space for legitimate political activity rapidly expanded in Singapore. Yet the public also understood that the constitution heavily circumscribed what elected ministers could achieve in the Legislative Assembly. In this episode, PJ Thum explains how and why associations became the focus of political activity in Singapore, and how they transformed the organisation and practice of politics in Singapore.

Please send questions, comments, and feedback to thehistoryofsingapore@gmail.com or visit thehistoryofsingapore.com. Support the show at patreon.com/pjthum. For all the previous episodes in this series, search for "History of Singapore" on bfm.my.