The legacy of Singapore’s late leader echoes internationally far beyond his passing.

Lee Kuan Yew passed away in March 2015, the father to a great nation, first world in every way imaginable. When he was born, it did not yet exist.

By pulling Singapore from the bottom rung of the developing world and into that of a revered nation of multi-nationalism and economic prosperity, Lee Kuan Yew exhibited a type of leadership which inspired heads of state far and wide, many subsequently attempting to mirror Lee’s accomplishments. Chinese diplomats, now residing atop a global superpower, regularly applaud Lee’s Singapore with encouraging their own emergence from what was once a hermit kingdom in the 1960s.

While China’s growth and generous nod to Singapore announce certain kudos which echo globally for the ASEAN city-state, the country’s ability to become a first-world country in a third-world region reflects a more prescient lesson for the world at large.

Much has been said about the Singaporean miracle. A small country emerges from colonial rule and must stave off the inevitabilities of a developing nation’s growing pains. A lack of natural resources and the political uncertainty which results from combining the ethnic challenges which face a diverse, densely populated country were chief among the country’s early hurdles. A central component to Singapore’s rise existed in Lee Kuan Yew, a leader which the people rallied behind.

By pulling Singapore from the bottom rung of the developing world and into that of a revered nation of multi-nationalism and economic prosperity, Lee Kuan Yew exhibited a type of leadership which inspired heads of state far and wide, many subsequently attempting to mirror Lee’s accomplishments

Lee’s chief accomplishment was shepherding the now powerful nation of Singapore into being. His position of reverence was realised however, via a number of remarkable achievements. In 1963, just over a decade removed from founding the People’s Action Party (still in power today), Lee convinced Britain to release his country from the yoke of colonial rule. Many of his opponents have loudly criticised what they’ve labelled a ruling style which became a new form of authoritarianism, yet Lee defended curtailing civil liberties in favour of the stability to follow. In establishing the nation, he tackled challenges as diverse as national security, corruption and economic growth. Leading a nation over an array of hurdles called for an iron fist at times and in turn inspired universal adoration.

Dubai is regularly compared to Singapore for its ability to so quickly become a gleaming beacon of financial solvency. The emirate has dutifully touted the royal decrees of Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and with his guidance, the world has followed. India is experiencing renewed interest based on Narendra Modi’s grand introduction on the world stage. And meanwhile the democratic stylings of the United States of America have repeatedly displayed their limits, Congress more often than not hamstringing the effectiveness of Barack Obama in a number of public spats.

Lee Kuan Yew’s reign has oft been criticised for what many deem an overreaching style of government, whilst his reply to these accusations amounted to simply pointing to Singapore’s financial comeuppance, ethnic coexistence and crime free streets.

With Lee Kuan Yew’s passing, the world lost a peerless journeyman and leading light. The example he set, however, will remain as a blueprint of sorts in the decades to come.