The other recession risk that Singapore should be wary of
A social recession in Singapore is a risk due to weakening individual resilience, looser family bonds, and declining community cohesion. This is revealed in the form of fewer friendships, weaker community ties, and a creeping sense that we are living beside one another ra…
Intelligence analysis by Llama
Singapore is at risk of a social recession due to weakening social ties, looser family bonds, and declining community cohesion. This is revealed in the form of fewer friendships, weaker community ties, and a creeping sense that we are living beside one another rather than with one another.
Imagine living in a world where people are more and more alone, and don't have many friends or people to talk to. This is what's happening in Singapore, and it's a big problem because it can make people feel sad, lonely, and disconnected from others.
Analysis
A Mixed Picture of Social Ties in Singapore
Social ties in Singapore are thinning, especially among the young. Surveys by the National Youth Council found the share of youths with no close friends doubled from 4 per cent in 2013 to 8 per cent in 2022, while those with more than five close friends fell from 26 to 16 per cent. Likewise for adults, data from the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) showed the average number of close friends for Singaporeans dropping from 10.67 in 2018 to 6.49 in 2024. As ties thin, isolation and loneliness grow. Another IPS survey found that young adults aged 21 to 34 report the highest loneliness of any age group, with roughly one in three often feeling isolated or left out.
Participation in Community Life is Weakening
National Youth Council data showed the share of young people involved in no social group rose from 35 per cent in 2013 to 41 per cent in 2022. Volunteering, which mostly happens face-to-face and fosters the kind of repeated contact that builds wider and more diverse networks, tells a similar story. An annual study by the National Volunteer And Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) found median volunteer hours down from 24 in 2018 to just over 9 in 2023. While COVID-19 and safe-distancing measures likely affected some of these findings, the broader pattern predates the pandemic. National Youth Council data already showed declines in the number of close friends and participation in social groups between 2013 and 2019. The subsequent deterioration during the pandemic therefore appears to have accelerated an existing trend rather than created it.
A Social Recession in Singapore
The possibility of a social recession in Singapore was first flagged in 2012 by then Nominated MP Laurence Lien who pointed to weakening individual resilience, looser family bonds, and declining community cohesion. More than a decade on, this deserves a fresh look. A social recession is loosely defined as a decline in communal bonds that keep people supported and well, or the erosion of social capital where people lose trust and socially recede from one another.
Key points
- Singapore is at risk of a social recession due to weakening social ties, looser family bonds, and declining community cohesion.
- The number of close friends for Singaporeans has dropped from 10.67 in 2018 to 6.49 in 2024.
- Participation in community life is weakening, with the share of young people involved in no social group rising from 35 per cent in 2013 to 41 per cent in 2022.
- Volunteering hours have decreased from 24 in 2018 to just over 9 in 2023.
If Singapore addresses the issue of social recession by investing in community programs and initiatives that promote social connections, it could lead to a more cohesive and supportive society.
If Singapore continues to neglect the issue of social recession, it could lead to increased rates of loneliness, isolation, and mental health issues among its citizens.
