SINGAPORE: A former party official was called as a witness in the continuing prosecution of Workers’ Party (WP) president Pritam Singh for allegedly lying before a Committee of Privileges. When members of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) gather for their party conference next month, the phrase will be in the news once more.
The definition of a cadre has been the subject of a lot of online discussion among inquisitive internet users. The PAP, WP, PSP, and SDP are the four largest political parties in Singapore. They are all organised within a cadre structure.
The Oxford English Dictionary states that the word “cadre” was first used in the late eighteenth century. Originally from French, it describes a team of military commanders who are responsible for instructing the other members of the unit.
During a time of significant social and economic change in the 19th century, cadre parties emerged in European politics and took control of the political scene. They did this by employing parliamentary and electoral methods.According to renowned NUS associate professor of political science Bilveer Singh, early leaders like Lee Kuan Yew and David Marshall were trained in the UK and exposed to British politics, which is why the cadre system was incorporated into Singapore’s political environment.
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