Want a 'we first' society? Members of Parliament are vital to the effort

They must help grow civic participation and the social capital that a resilient society needs.

- Nicholas Thomas and Justin Lee

As Singapore's 15th Parliament opens, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has called for a "we first" society. This echoes a thread running through Singapore's nation-building journey.

In 1991, the Government's White Paper on Shared Values affirmed that Singapore must place "nation before community, and society above self".

More than three decades later, the Forward SG report renewed that ethos, reminding Singaporeans that "every success story is a shared story".

It urged us to see success less in terms of "I, me and mine" and more through "we, us and ours".

The report also outlined practical ways for citizens, businesses and Government to give back and act together.

The opportunity before Parliament is to take this further: to strengthen the networks, trust and civic habits that together make up Singapore's social capital.

SOCIAL CAPITAL: THE GLUE OF 'WE FIRST'

American political science analyst Robert Putnam defines social capital as the networks, norms and trust that enable people to act together for mutual benefit.

He frames social capital as a public good. When people volunteer, join associations or look out for neighbours, they generate shared reserves of trust that strengthen society.

Professor Putnam distinguished between bonding capital (ties within close groups) and bridging capital (connections across different groups and backgrounds), with later scholars adding linking capital (vertical ties between citizens and institutions).

Singapore's bonding capital remains resilient, seen in strong family ties and neighbourhood trust — especially during crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic, when residents checked in on one another and community groups mobilised to provide support for the vulnerable.

Linking capital is also strong, with Singaporeans showing consistently high trust in government institutions, which enabled collective action during the pandemic.