Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going by Lee Kuan Yew Straits Times Press HK$234
It's in the genes. That is a theme running through the latest book by Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
In his book, the Southeast Asian island nation's elder statesman praises the Jews as having 'more brainpower per one thousand of population than any other race in the world'. Yet he would be uncomfortable if a Jew or a non-Chinese married into his family.
Lee does approve of a potential Chinese in-law who graduated from a top US university. 'My grandson, the Prime Minister's son, brought home this young lady to meet me. She's a graduate of MIT [the Massachusetts Institute of Technology], a mainlander whose father was a professor. OK, that's not bad. Suppose he'd brought home a white girl. What would my reaction be? I'd say think it over carefully.'
Lee believes the best way to create the best talent is by marrying the right partner. 'The bright ones marry equally well-educated spouses. The result is their children are likely to be smarter than the children of gardeners.'
Lee's views on marriage extend to the offspring of Chinese leaders. 'Marry your equal, don't marry somebody with primary school qualifications,' he exhorts. 'Jiang Zemin's son, Li Peng's sons, Zhu Rongji's son - all top class.'
For Lee, 'the Chinese have a position more in keeping with the animal kingdom. 'I'm powerful, I multiply. You're weak, you're no good, you're sterile. You have no women, I have a harem.' The next generation, many get their genes from the bright and energetic. The Chinese emperor at the end of every examination chose the top scholar to marry his daughter. The emperor wanted the royal family to be infused with good genes.'