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“Achievement-orientated Values” (Part 2 of 2): How this 1971 speech suggests solutions to fertility rates today
- June 22 2026
“Achievement-orientated Values” (Part 1 of 2): This 1971 speech explains why our fertility rates are so low (and hints at how we can raise it)
Singapore’s total fertility rate hit a new record low at 0.87 in 2025, a long consequence of the overwhelming success of the “Stop at Two” population control campaign launched in 1972. Just a year prior, Parliamentary Secretary Inche Sha’ari Bin Tadin gave a speech capturing the heart and motivation of the campaign. Could this speech also contain hints of how we can reverse our low birth rates?
- June 22 2026
More For You
Eyes on the Price: A Cultivate Commune (March) update
The more people prize parenthood, the less deterred they are by its perceived price. The reverse is also true. These were the findings from our “Eyes on the Price” supplementary analysis released at our Commune on 28 March. With our society becoming more atomised and narratives thinking of children as a burden, can we refocus our values and priorities as a society?
- 16 April 2026
Even in Old Age, Marriage Matters
As the foundation of family life, the benefits of marriage for children are well-known. But what about the elderly? Elderly who never married or are divorced or separated tend to have weaker intergenerational connections, being less likely to provide and receive support from their families. In “super-aged” Singapore, strengthening marriages must be a key priority, even as we look out for vulnerable seniors.
- 2 April 2026
Sandwiched Families: Too Many Ways to Make a “Sandwich”?
Conceptually, there is no one definition of a “sandwiched” family, ranging from those who live together or nearby, to different kinds of support or care provided to young and old. A reasonable estimate suggests there are more than 100,000 sandwiched households in Singapore. Perhaps valuing and supporting people in their caregiving journeys may be a more constructive way forward.
- 12 March 2026
