SE Asia, Module #8

Like South America, Southeast Asia has undergone transition over the last few decades. It has been searching for independence, economic growth, democracy, and complete independene from foreign powers. There are countries that have seen vast growth while others have floundered.
Heidhus seems to feel that AE Asian countries are now prospering; whereas, Neher argues that problems still exist and SE Asia has not achieved its goals of independence.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded in 1967 and offers hope for the future of these countries.
The most economic and prosperous is Singapore, the only island city-state in the world. At one point, the country was dependent upon others as it had no resources of its own with which to trade. Howeverw, it had two advantages, one being its harbor and the other its location in SE Asia as a sprinboard to others in the region. Tourism has also helped the economy. It has leaned more toward a western-style government, and uses English as he main language of business and teaching, dispensing with Chinese which was the former language used. Foriegn investors were drawn to Singapore because of low labor costs from other nations than the original colonial powers and from others in Asia. Singapore has become a model for others in the region, known as the 'tiger economy.' Heidhus also argues that Singapore is a small island republic surrounded by Muslims, Indonesians, and Malays; thus Singapore cannot insulate itself from outside inlfuences.
Clark suggests that SE Asia is having problems in transition and cannot achieve smooth democratic rule, somewhat simliar to a person learning to drive a stick shift car for the first time. ASEAN was originally established to deter communist Vietnam and China from making inroads into non-communist countries and to establish policies of trade among its memebers, but it has not established a political union with commonalities that would offer assistance and foster cooperation during times of crisis. The Hmong have been displaced and the Vietnamese boat people are recent crises of the region that have not been settled and continue to offer examples of unrest in the region and support Clark's hypothesis of unstable transistion to complete independece, democracy, and economic independence.

De-colonization

Southeast Asia went through many changes between the 1940s and the late 1960s. SE Asia was reeling from European colonialism when the Japanese invaded in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Many countries accepted the Japanese as friends rather than as invaders. This happened in Thailand where the British and Japanese helped the Thai expand their territorial borders. Resistance movements rose up and fought against the control of the Japanesee. Again Thailand is an example where this happened.
After the end of the Second World War, the Japanese lost the war and now SE Asia went through a hard de-colonization period, where European powers left and states fought for their independence. However, this idependece came at a price that included violence, shortages, disorder, chaos, and a great loss of life. Most went through stages of totalitarianism and various forms of democracy.
SE Asia became a battleground between democracy and capitalism. The French left, in Vietnam, and the Americans took over after the 1954 Geneva Accords. The United States backed Diem, who was later killed and then a long war enused in Vietnam, which the US eventually lost. South Vietnam was never seen as a viable seat of government by the North who saw them as lackeys for the Americans. The US eventually left and a civil war ensued. A major theme of this period was Marxist-Leninism, which many countries adopted; they saw it as a major philosophy against one colonial empire after another. American influence spilled over into Vietnam during the 1970s first with B-52 bombing raind and eventual invasion my US ground forces.
Most people are aware of Pol Pot who killed three million Cambodians. The United States supported Lon Nol (he was corrupt and had corrupt officers), Pol Pot (and the Khmer Rouge) took over and ran the civilians out of the city and many became followers of Pol Pot who wanted to unite all of SE Asia into one large collective.
Norodom Sihanouk was a popular figure in Cambodia whose goal was a free and neutral state. However, he was an incapable leader and the people paid a high price with the arrival of Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Sihounak was eventually overthrown by Cambodian military generals; he was forced to live in exile in China. He eventually turned face and supported Pot. The Vietnamese invaded in 1978 and forced the Khmer Rouge out of Cambodia. He had lofty goals for his country, which he was ubable to make a reality, and as a result, many Cambodians suffered for his ineptitude.

SE Asia, Module #6

Most Asian cultures have a stratified and hierarchal society. Those of the lower class make ties with those of the upper class as this connection offers access to the necessities of life that they would otherwise be unable to obtain such as food, housing, clothing, and education. These ties are unseen and are often unexplainable, even to those who participat in such relationships. One important aspect is known as patron-client relationship. These ties are reciprocal. Those of the lower class having something of value to the patron who then gets what he needs. As with any similar situation, those of the upper levels often tend to take advantage of the lower classes, and corruption tends to be quite common.
Modernization, currently, is weakening the patron-client relationship as people are able to gain access to needed items through private independent organizations. Theses sevices are now open to people's of all social classes, not just the elites.
Since most Asian cultures, tend to be patriarchal, it would seem that women do not partipate in patron-client relationships, except maybe in the cities with prostitutes who offer sex for needed goods.
Patron-client relationships are important in southeasian countries, especially Thailand, though they have dwindled over the past two decades or so. Patrons are expected to be compassionate and nice; they are also expected to compliment, offer security and be pragmatic towards their clients. Kren jai, the notion of not wanting to embarass or annoy others, is an important tradition in Thailand. Thais often find other means of acquring needed goods without the patron.
There is leeway in Thai patron-client relationships. Thais do not go for individuality; they tend to conform when in the presence of those who are superior to them.

Clark, Neher. Southeast Asia: Crossroads of the World. Illinois: Northern Illinois University. 2000, 59-62.

Thailand vs. Jolie

Apparently, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt visited a refugee camp last week, and both came out and made dirisive comments against Thailand its arrest and detainment of Burmese refugees. Thailand's guverment came out and publically stated that Jolie and Pitt had no right to say the things they did agianst the Thia government and that they could detain and arrest anyone they wanted to.

Colonizing Southeast Asia

How did colonialism impact SE Asia? First, and foremost, European powers used increasing more force as time passed. European-style administrations took more power in the territories. It started off slowly, and then accelerated with full control unitl decolonization period after World War Two. According to Tarling, this control only really occured in the metropolitan centers. In other areas, it was handled through treaties. Of course, total control was an illsuion, the U.S. found that out the hard way in Iraq. This transformation took many forms: trade, military, nationalism, and of course education. In the beginning, most powers relied on semif-fuedal relationships, which were soon done away with as it gave too much power to non-Europeans. Also, the day-to-day trappings (my word) of running the colonies began with Europeans, but this was later eliminated as it was too costly (European officials arrived with their families), and it was eventually taken over by Asian locals. By the 1890s, the Europeans saw Asians as uncivilized (similalry to the way they did when they first came to America), and that their role in the region was to "civilize" them. A standardized tax system was instituted. One of the most important methods of controlling any society is through the use of language. Colonials controlled SE Asia through the control of language; English became the predominant language spoken (as it is now for the purpose of business). The educated became more and more distant removed from the issues of daily life. This was especially true of city dwellers who had just recently moved from the villages seeking more jobs and money. In Burma, for example, new "village" leaders took over for traditional rulers.
European powers used direct and indirect rule over their territories. Indirect rule was the first form of control and offered no real plan; measures were born out of expediancy rather than any long term goal or objective; it was a co-operative relationship between local ruling elites and colonials.
The French became ingerested in Indochina because of the spices, but were actually preceeded by those who wanted econmic benefits of colonialism. They militarily conquered part of Vietnam. They then extended their control of the region around Hue and adopted the name Annam. The French let local kings stay in power, bu they were figureheads exerting no real power.
American took over the Phillipines with the notion of 'Christianizing' the indigienous populations.
Colonialism and nationalism became intertwined; Europeans took pride in their countries and this spread to the outlining territories; this happened in Africa as well as SE Asia.
Ideas also followed along with the colonials; one of the biggest was Marxism. Many villagers embarced this ideal as it explained their suffering (in all of its forms) at the hands of European opressors.
Colonialism changed Southeast Asia in many ways: militarily, economically, politically, and socially.