The Story of Singapore

Mario Teng

The Story of Singapore is a history podcast created by Mario Teng, tracing the historical and political developments of Singapore, from a backwater kingdom in the 1300s to an economic miracle by the turn of the 21st century. read less
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EP. 0 — The Preface
Aug 9 2022
EP. 0 — The Preface
So much of who we are is where we have been. History may not seem all that important in this modern world but as we venture into a future unknown, it influences us individually in ways we cannot always conceive. Join me as we discover the rich tapestry of our Singaporean heritage, from backwater kingdom to economic miracle.

Episodes

Intermezzo I
Aug 8 2023
Intermezzo I
The Story of Singapore podcast celebrates its one year anniversary.
EP. 13 — The Winner Takes It All
Aug 7 2023
EP. 13 — The Winner Takes It All
Farquhar and Raffles bit their nails as they waited for the Court of Directors to issue a verdict on their case.
EP. 12 — Farquhar v Raffles
Jul 24 2023
EP. 12 — Farquhar v Raffles
Farquhar’s career was over, but his tussle with Raffles was not. After packing his bags and leaving Singapore, Farquhar escalated their dispute all the way to London for a final adjudication.
EP. 11 — Planned Obsolescence
May 29 2023
EP. 11 — Planned Obsolescence
Returning to Singapore, Raffles tore down much of the pioneering works and began building anew. Cast aside by Raffles, Farquhar could only watch, unaware that his career was hanging by a thread.
EP. 10 — Smouldering Tensions
May 1 2023
EP. 10 — Smouldering Tensions
Raffles sought to make Farquhar's life difficult and tarnish his reputation by spreading disinformation behind his back.
EP. 9 — The Man with Two Faces
Jan 23 2023
EP. 9 — The Man with Two Faces
Communication breakdowns and compatibility issues led to a straining of relations between Farquhar and Raffles.
EP. 8 — Moving Mountains
Dec 26 2022
EP. 8 — Moving Mountains
Building the settlement from the ground up was not easy. There were many pressing areas of administration that demanded Farquhar's attention before Singapore could take flight.
EP. 7 — Bootstrapping
Dec 5 2022
EP. 7 — Bootstrapping
Singapore's survival was tenuous and hinged on its infancy years. As tensions between the British and Dutch approached boiling point, Farquhar had to figure out how to deliver results under tough constraints from the get-go.
EP. 6 — Here Come the Brits
Oct 24 2022
EP. 6 — Here Come the Brits
In 1819, an ambitious British statesman risked open war with the Dutch and exploited turmoil in native politics to establish modern Singapore.
EP. 5 — Sugar, Spice and Everything Not So Nice
Sep 19 2022
EP. 5 — Sugar, Spice and Everything Not So Nice
European powers travelled great lengths to satiate their ravenous appetite for spices and wrestled one another as they carved Southeast Asia up for their pound of flesh.
EP. 4 — The Sands of Time
Aug 29 2022
EP. 4 — The Sands of Time
Empires rose, empires fell. Powerful geopolitical forces conspired to shape Southeast Asia’s developments in the centuries to come.
EP. 3 — Bad Blood
Aug 15 2022
EP. 3 — Bad Blood
Iskandar's reign spelt disaster for the Kingdom of Singapura. When the dust settled, there would not be a kingdom left to speak of.
EP. 2 — Five Kings
Aug 9 2022
EP. 2 — Five Kings
The Kingdom of Singapura was ruled by a line of five kings. Each of them had a story that defined their reign.
EP. 1 — The Birth of Singapura
Aug 9 2022
EP. 1 — The Birth of Singapura
Much of the early history of Singapore has been lost to time. We begin the story of Singapore from its mythical origins. Strangely enough, it starts with Alexander the Great.
EP. 0 — The Preface
Aug 9 2022
EP. 0 — The Preface
So much of who we are is where we have been. History may not seem all that important in this modern world but as we venture into a future unknown, it influences us individually in ways we cannot always conceive. Join me as we discover the rich tapestry of our Singaporean heritage, from backwater kingdom to economic miracle.