How Had Lives Changed by the End of the 1970s?
How Had Lives Changed by the End of the 1970s?
By the end of the 1970s, industrialisation, public housing, education, public health and a national identity had combined to change everyday life. These notes explain three changes for ordinary people: higher living standards, a greater sense of belonging, and new opportunities for women, while noting that some changes were incomplete.
What Brought the Change
- Many measures: the government tackled problems in the economy, national identity, housing, education and health.
- Combined effect: together, these measures changed people's lives in many ways.
- A snapshot: in December 1976, Plaza Singapura was packed with last-minute Christmas shoppers.
How Had Lives Changed by the End of the 1970s?
Change 1: Better Living Standards
- PPointBy the late 1970s, people enjoyed much higher living standards.
- EEvidenceAlmost 150,000 jobs were created between 1967 and 1973, and by the early 1970s there was a shortage of workers. Many families could afford fridges and televisions, once luxuries, and car ownership rose from 58 per 1,000 people in 1966 to 85 in 1973.
- EElaborationSteady, better-paid work raised household incomes, so families could afford goods once beyond their reach, although the 1973 oil crisis temporarily pushed up the cost of living.
- LLinkHence, most people's rose substantially.
Change 2: A Greater Sense of Belonging
- PPointBy the late 1970s, many people felt a greater sense of belonging to Singapore.
- EEvidenceWith a higher standard of living, people had less reason to seek opportunities elsewhere, and by the mid-1970s over 40,000 families owned their HDB flats. In 1965 most people did not see themselves as belonging to a country called Singapore, but by 1972 crowds lined North Bridge Road for the National Day Parade.
- EElaborationHaving invested their savings in homes and enjoying better lives, people had a personal stake in Singapore's success, turning residents into citizens who identified with the nation.
- LLinkThus, better lives and home ownership deepened people's attachment to Singapore.
Change 3: New Chances for Women
- PPointBy the late 1970s, women had gained far more opportunities to study and work.
- EEvidenceBy 1974, almost as many girls as boys were enrolled in schools, and women made up 45.1% of local university students in 1976, up from 30% in 1966. Between 1970 and 1980, the share of women in the rose from about a quarter to almost 40%, more than doubling for Malay and Indian women, and by 1969 men and women in the civil service received equal pay for the same job.
- EElaborationEducation and industrial jobs gave women income and independence, but progress was uneven: women air traffic controllers began training only in 1976, a minister said in 1979 that prejudice against women at work still had to be removed, and no woman sat in Parliament from 1970 to 1984.
- LLinkTherefore, women's lives changed greatly, but not completely or at the same pace.
A Young Nation-State
- Before 1965: Singapore had already undergone many changes during self-government and merger.
- After 1965: as a new nation-state, it faced fresh challenges that required new measures so its people could not only survive but thrive.
- By the end of the 1970s: Singapore was far better placed to face the future.
In One Sentence
- By the end of the 1970s, most people enjoyed better jobs and homes, more felt they belonged to Singapore, and women had far more opportunities, though not every change was complete.
Think About It
- Why might a family that owns its home and has a steady job feel more rooted to a country than one that doesn't?
- Women's share of university places and jobs rose fast, yet every Member of Parliament was a man from 1970 to 1984. Why might some changes happen faster than others?
- Fridges and televisions were once luxuries. What do you think would be a sign of a better standard of living for families today?