ABSTRACT
Singapore's foreign policy is unique to the extent that, even prior to independence, it had what has been described as foreign relations power. There were a variety of factors contributing to this power. Before achieving independence, Singapore had assumed a special significance for foreign governments as a diplomatic window to the region. The internal constraints on Singapore's foreign policy output during the survivalist phase stemmed from the periods prior to political independence in 1965. The People's Action Party leadership was anxious to merge Singapore with Malaya since it was thought that the island could not survive without a hinterland, and was too small and vulnerable to be granted independence by the British. The British operation was meant to detain communist activists and subversives in order to stabilize Singapore's domestic political situation prior to merger. The internal constraints on Singapore's foreign policy output were considerably less important than the external constraints.
