• A Region without Problems and a People without Grievances. DiscussThis View of Southeast Asia and Its Inhabitants in the Years 1870-1942

     

    Essays2 History, Culture

Evaluation:
Published: 28.05.2006.
Language: English
Level: Secondary school
Literature: n/a
References: Not used
  • Essays 'A Region without Problems and a People without Grievances. DiscussThis View of S', 1.
  • Essays 'A Region without Problems and a People without Grievances. DiscussThis View of S', 2.
Extract

This was not an easy change as they were small-scale farmers and not yet used to the idea of dealing with money. This led them to rely heavily on money lenders, causing them to mortgage their land and even becoming workers on their own land. It was a deeply unhappy situation and the people suffered, falling into poverty and starvation when they couldn't meet their tax payments. It must not be forgotten that the benefits the Europeans set up for themselves such as the infrastructure and healthcare, were funded by tax payments and this too was resented by the people.
In conclusion, Southeast Asia was definitely NOT a region without problems and a people without grievances. It is completely one-sided and false as Southeast Asia was more of a region and a people with problems and grievances. It was forced to bend into the shape the colonial masters thought best for it without proper thought and tact put in and the result was mass resentment and an overall worsening of circumstances. While in the long run, colonialism may have been seen to be beneficial for the people, it was a long and hard struggle to get to the point where the people reaped the benefits of that time. It is however false to say that Southeast Asia was a region without problems and a people without grievances during the period 1870 to 1942.

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