1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910345149003321

Autore

Tan Kevin

Titolo

Marshall of Singapore : a biography / / Kevin Y.L. Tan [[electronic resource]]

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Singapore : , : Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, , 2008

ISBN

981-4414-77-8

981-230-877-6

981-230-922-5

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (xviii, 612 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)

Disciplina

959.5705092

Soggetti

Statesmen - Singapore

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 24 Nov 2015).

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. [561]-577) and index.

Nota di contenuto

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Foreword / Keong, Chan Sek -- Preface -- Acknowledgements / Tan, Kevin Y L -- 1. Baghdad to Singapore and Back -- 2. Growing Up in Colonial Singapore: 1917-1925 -- 3. Searching for a Place in the Sun: 1927-1934 -- 4. Studying Law in London -- 5. Starting Legal Practice in Singapore -- 6. War -- 7. Rebuilding Broken Lives -- 8. The Legal Legend -- 9. The Political Tyro -- 10. Igniting a Spark -- 11. Into the Deep End: The Struggle for Survival -- 12. Building a New Singapore -- 13. Politics on the Margins -- 14. Doyen of the Bar -- 15. Viva la France! -- 16. The End Game -- Bibliography -- Index -- ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sommario/riassunto

David Marshall (1908-1995) was one of Singapore's most remarkable sons. The eldest son of migrant Sephardic Jews, Marshall's brilliant academic career at Raffles Institution was brought to an abrupt end when he collapsed from tuberculosis. Sent away to recuperate in Switzerland, Marshall not only learnt the French language but also imbibed the French ideals of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity and returned a strong opponent of colonialism. Qualifying as a barrister in half the normal time, he rose to become Singapore's greatest criminal and constitutional lawyer. In 1955, he unexpectedly found himself the leader of the Labour Front and Singapore's first Chief Minister. His fourteen tumultuous months in office led to the eventual withdrawal of the British from Singapore but his emotional personality and impatience



made him an unlikely politician. In the twilight of his career, Marshall was appointed Singapore's first ambassador to France. This is the story of this extraordinary man who was, for many, Singapore's "missionary of democracy". Using previously unavailable sources, author Kevin Tan chronicles the remarkable life, times and achievements of the man many regarded as "Singapore's Conscience".