Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Singapore's Culture War Over Section 377a: Through The Lens Of Public Choice And Multi-Lingual Research, Jianlin Chen

Jianlin Chen

The 2007 debate over the retention of Singapore’s male sodomy law provision set off a vigorous and passionate public debate reminiscent of the U.S.’s culture war. However, the Singapore government’s final decision reflects an interesting compromise. The law was retained, but its moral content severely curtailed with the promise of non-proactive enforcement against private consensual adult activity, the proclamation of accommodating the gay community and the concession of the inborn nature of homosexuality. This article critically examines this episode of culture war in Singapore and explores the political dynamics driving the compromise. Enriching public choice theory on interest group capture, …