colony · Maritime Southeast Asia
Colony of Singapore
Origins
When Britain dissolved the Straits Settlements in 1946, it kept Singapore apart from the new Malayan Union because of its Chinese majority and its value as a naval base. The Colony of Singapore was established on 1 April 1946 under a governor.
Rule and society
The post-war years brought labour unrest, communist activity and the Malayan Emergency. The Rendel Constitution of 1955 created a partly elected legislature, and David Marshall became chief minister. Full internal self-government came in 1959 as the State of Singapore, with Lee Kuan Yew of the People's Action Party as prime minister, while Britain kept defence and foreign affairs.
Decline and legacy
Lee pursued merger with Malaya to end colonial rule and gain an economic hinterland. Singapore joined Malaysia on 16 September 1963, but political and racial tensions led to separation in 1965, creating the independent Singapore.
Lineage
On the connections map
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- Colony of Singapore was a colony of British Empire1946 CE – 1963 CE
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Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Colony of Singapore. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/colony-of-singapore
- MLA
- “Colony of Singapore.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/colony-of-singapore. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Colony of Singapore.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/colony-of-singapore.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Colony of Singapore’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/colony-of-singapore (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻