Cambodia: War, Political Turmoil, and the Khmer Rouge as a Significant Source of Change

The most significant source of social change in Cambodia in contemporary times is the rule of Pol Pot and the Khmers Rouges from 1975-1978. Their Communist Party of Kampuchea torn the country apart with war, genocide, and corruption. In the wake of this period of history, the people of Cambodia have been left to pick up the pieces and continue in political strife.
The goal of this paper is to explore the history of Cambodia leading up to the rule of the Khmers Rouges and the change brought about by their rule. I will also describe the aftermath of the 1975-1978 reign and what steps have been taken to heal Cambodia. Finally, I will discuss the modern social issues in Cambodia and their plans for the future.
Before the Darkness: A Brief History of Cambodia From 1800 to 1975
Located between Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam, Cambodia has been geographically placed amongst social rift since it's inception. Cambodia has lost a lot of its territories over the years to peripheral fighting and in negotiations for aid and protection. From the seventeenth to nineteenth century, Cambodia, weakened by internecine struggles, which destabilized the Kingdom, was forced to turn to Siam and Vietnam for aid (Kamm, 1998). This resulted in a great loss of land, especially to Vietnam. …