Aloysius Foo
I'm a PhD candidate at NTU-NIE whose research interests lie in the history and sociology of education. I completed my undergraduate education at the National University of Singapore (NUS), with a major in history and a minor in political science.
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This thesis argues that the Singapore state directed the conversion to the metric system because of the benefits for industrialization and economic development. Metrication was especially significant, because it was envisioned as a state instrument for the transformation of industries and society to forge a modern and rational Singapore. This implied the introduction of standardized and efficient practices from the developed world. However, the state encountered mixed success, in which “success” was defined in terms of the convergence between the state’s vision, and realities faced by industries and ordinary people. Ultimately, the convergence or divergence of interests between the state and various social actors influenced the extent to which metrication was utilized for transformation. This thesis contributes to scholarship in a few ways. In contrast to some scholars who have generalized reasons for the adoption of the metric system outside Europe and the Americas, this thesis argues that metrication was situated in Singapore’s historical circumstances, and challenges the ideas that metrication was “inevitable” or “voluntary”. This thesis also contributes to the on-going discussion about the role of the state in metrication by situating the Singapore state between the theoretical study by James Scott and the case of France explained by Ken Alder. Metrication for the Singapore state was not purely about the creation of “legibility” for governance; it was a major attempt to reposition Singapore’s economy towards broader global trends. Unlike the French state which encountered substantial resistance and gave up on metrication, the Singapore state played an active role in using metrication to pursue the transformation of industry and society.
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This thesis argues that the Singapore state directed the conversion to the metric system because of the benefits for industrialization and economic development. Metrication was especially significant, because it was envisioned as a state instrument for the transformation of industries and society to forge a modern and rational Singapore. This implied the introduction of standardized and efficient practices from the developed world. However, the state encountered mixed success, in which “success” was defined in terms of the convergence between the state’s vision, and realities faced by industries and ordinary people. Ultimately, the convergence or divergence of interests between the state and various social actors influenced the extent to which metrication was utilized for transformation. This thesis contributes to scholarship in a few ways. In contrast to some scholars who have generalized reasons for the adoption of the metric system outside Europe and the Americas, this thesis argues that metrication was situated in Singapore’s historical circumstances, and challenges the ideas that metrication was “inevitable” or “voluntary”. This thesis also contributes to the on-going discussion about the role of the state in metrication by situating the Singapore state between the theoretical study by James Scott and the case of France explained by Ken Alder. Metrication for the Singapore state was not purely about the creation of “legibility” for governance; it was a major attempt to reposition Singapore’s economy towards broader global trends. Unlike the French state which encountered substantial resistance and gave up on metrication, the Singapore state played an active role in using metrication to pursue the transformation of industry and society.