The true secret of Lee’s political genius was not his skillful use of repressive practices, such as launching lawsuits against the media or his political opponents; such tactics are common and unremarkable in semi-authoritarian regimes. What Lee did that was truly revolutionary was to use democratic institutions and the rule of law to curb the predatory appetite of his country’s ruling elite.
李光耀政治天才的真正秘密不是他驾轻就熟地使用镇压手段，如起诉媒体或政治反对派；这些策略很平常，在半极权体制中也好不显眼。李光耀真正的革命性做法是用民主制度和法治遏制新加坡执政精英的掠夺倾向。