CHANGES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE REGION

Changes in Southeast Asia and their Effect on the Region

Southeast Asia consists of the greater expanse that today consists of eleven nations, with
the nations being Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar),
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Each of these countries in the region, sitting in a
region between China and India, has its unique history, cultural and ethnic diversity, as well as
political and socio-economic conditions. Nevertheless, the nations possess many cultural and
historical similarities and continuities that make Southeast Asia unique (Dayley & Neher, 11). In
looking at the changes that have occurred in the region since the turn of the 20 th century, two
broad periods emerge. The first, which stretches well before the beginning of the century reflects
upon the traditional states and societies that were in place just before the advent of imperialism,
the colonial transformations and responses of the indigenous population to it. The second period
marks the emergence of Southeast Asian countries as modern nations after 1945. The changes
that have occurred in Southeast Asia over the course of the last century have laid the ground for
the cultural, political, social, and economic status of the country.
The South Eastern Asian region is an area that is proving to have immense importance in
the global scene. From the period it was under feudal lords, through European colonization,
Japanese occupation during WWII, and subsequent independence and modernization of most
countries in the region, South Eastern Asia has all the markings of becoming a significant bloc in
the world stage. Before imperial domination, most of the states in the area were autocratic with
control of the territories lying with the feudal lords. Aristocrats ruled the region, and they
attained strong religious as well as symbolic importance to the nations. All this, in spite of the
fact that most of the states in this part of Asia were less powerful than their immediate neighbors,
most notably, the Chinese, Japanese, Indians, and Koreans (Dayley & Neher, 11). The land lay

Changes in Southeast Asia 3
untilled, with most of it being covered by the thick jungle. The little acreage under cultivation
was majorly put under rice farming with paddies strewn across the countryside. The economy of
most nations was based on subsistence, and most of the population lived in the rural areas. Three
dominant religions, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, were practiced in the region, each a
testament to a period of past influence by a people adherent to the region.
Over the course of the last century, a dramatic reversal in the demographic balance
between Southeast Asia and Europe occurred. Subject to this reversal, Southeast Asia increased
in population until it surpassed its colonizers. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, the region
was sparsely populated with vast areas of the country being unsettled. However, with the advent
of colonization came the roads, modern cities, infrastructure projects, schools, hospitals, and an
increase in trade. As a result of the economic upturn, the standards of living improved. The
improvement was accompanied by better healthcare, greater awareness on the causes of diseases
and their prevention. Consequently, the mortality rates declined sharply in most South Eastern
Asian countries during the period. The decrease in death rates, along with the increased ability to
provide for families resulted in a sustained increase in population. Changes in the size,
distribution, and structure of a population are closely tied to the political, economic, and social
transformations of a state. Since the population provides the labor force as well as human
intellectual capital, an increase in the size of the populace corresponds with greater economic
capacity. Also important was the role of colonization in reducing the levels of indigenous
warfare that disrupted agricultural systems and trade, as well as caused a high toll in the number
of lives lost as a result of the conflict. The relative safety, as well as the ability to feed an even
larger population, played an essential part in the rise in population.

Changes in Southeast Asia 4
The Southeast Asian nations have seen some changes in the cultural sphere as well. A
primary source of cultural influences has been from some combination of contact with Islam,
India, and China (Brown 2003, 4; Stuart-Fox 2003, 7). The region enjoyed centuries of contact
with India and Indian-influenced cultures, a period that resulted in lasting years of cultural
influence. Subsequent contact with the Chinese during the trading era also contributed to the
culture practiced in the region. The imperial domination that took part in the initial part of the
last century resulted in a cultural exchange that effectively modernized the states (Brown 2003,
5). Consequently, many of the traditionally held beliefs and values have been watered down by
the continued exposure to Western civilizations. Three predominant religions were observed in
the area, these being Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. Islam was introduced as a result of contact
with the Chinese Muslim explorer Zheng He, especially in the maritime regions of Southeast
Asia, specifically Java and Malaya (Gosling 2001, 46). Much of the landscape has not changed
concerning religion as the three faiths are still the dominant ones to date. The notable exception
is the Philippines, where Christianity is practiced owing to the period of occupation by Spain and
later the United States (Jacobs 2005, 3).
With the end of colonialism and the modernization that followed, most countries moved
away from the feudal and aristocratic systems that characterized the Southeast Asian region
towards more democratic forms of Government (Doner, Richie & Slater 2005, 344). When the
European nations had invaded and colonized the region to use it for its vast resources and
production of raw materials, some of the aristocratic states in place were allowed to continue
operations as normal. However, this was subject to an agreement to submit to the colonial
powers. Following the Fall of France and in line with the Pacific war goals of Imperial Japan, the
Japanese Imperial Army invaded French Indochina. The attack marked a period of Japanese

Changes in Southeast Asia 5
domination and occupation of the region, albeit for a limited time. After their defeat during
World War II, Japan was forced to exit the area, with the major European nations that had
previously colonized Southeast Asia scrambling to get back in. Most South Eastern Asian
countries got independence almost immediately after that, starting them on the path to
modernization of economies and democratic governance (Acharya 2000, 121). Monarchy was
not eliminated, however, and still thrives in some countries of Southeast Asia (Higgott &
Robinson 2013, 4). The continued existence of royalty in these countries has been the result of
blending the traditions of monarchy from the pre-colonial age with more modern forms of
constitutionally backed governance. Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia, for example,
have monarchs as heads of state, but in name only. While the influence of monarchies is on the
wane, the surviving realms in Southeast Asia have the power and influence that potentially or, in
reality, exceeds that described in constitutional terms. The chief reason for this is the continuity
of the archaic sacred and cultural symbolism of monarchy, which the monarchs themselves have
cleverly perpetrated, as well as the patronage that the members of the country derive from their
considerable wealth gathered over years of being lords.
During the first period, between the 1870s and World War II, falls in world shipping
costs along with Western industrialization inspired growth in the Southeast Asian countries.
Exports drove the growth and while it was based on specialization in a narrow range of essential
commodities. A major link in the developmental chain was the emergence of a few dominant
Southeast Asian urban centers, typically around ports. The spread of colonialism, much like the
fall in shipping costs, was instrumental to the growth and urbanization of these centers, and
subsequently Southeast Asia. As the region was rapidly colonized, traditional political
organizations, which consisted primarily of numerous structurally weak states, were swept away.

Changes in Southeast Asia 6
By the early 1900s, four colonial powers governed Southeast Asia. The colonial powers were
Britain, which governed Burma (Myanmar) and Malaya (Malaysia), the Netherlands that ruled
over Indonesia, the United States, which occupied thePhilippines, and France that lorded over an
area known as Indochina. Thailand was nominally independent following quasi-colonial
arrangements with the British. Colonial administrations enforced property rights and ensured free
trade, both of which resulted in an increase in export-led growth that had hitherto been the source
of economic advances in the region. The collapse in the economic distance and elimination of
barriers to trade that occurred early in the 20 th century assured the Southeast Asians ample
opportunities to respond to new demand from as far off as the Americas. Even with the adoption
of Western industrialization and urbanization, agriculture was still the main driving force of the
economy (Booth 1998, 8). Large tracts of unoccupied lands were put under cultivation to satisfy
the need for raw materials in Europe. Rice, sugar were the main exports with rubber which was
used almost entirely for automobile tires in demand as well (Rosegrant & Hazell 2000, 512).
These products were important exports to Western markets, especially Europe and the United
States. However, the increased specialization in producing non-food commodities led to a
situation in which most of the Southeast Asian nations dependent on imported food.
Pre-war urbanization set the locational pattern for contemporary Southeast Asia’s major
cities, one that is seen to this day. In ending over two centuries of de-urbanization, the imperial
driven urbanization efforts created a template for the establishment of urban centers. A
comparative advantage that was rooted in geography, precisely how apt the city was to be a port
of call for seafaring cargo ships, was a necessary but not a sufficient condition. The ability that
ports had to satisfy a number of higher order services required in carrying out long-distance trade
assured the position of Southeast Asian port gateways as great cities (Burghardt 1971, 273). In

Changes in Southeast Asia 7
August of 1967, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines founded the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which ushered in a period of greater
correlation and cooperation between the countries. ASEAN has been responsible for high
economic growth by most countries within the block and closer regional integration in the region
(Acharya 2014, 7). The trading bloc has also spearheaded efforts towards the establishment of an
ASEAN free trade area, a development that has resulted in increased trade and commerce in
Southeast Asia. The bloc has also foreseen the modernization of the economies of member
countries.
To conclude, some changes in Southeast Asia taking place over the last century are the
basis of the cultural, political, and socio-economic state of the countries in the region. Southeast
Asia, just like the rest of the continent has undergone sweeping changes since the turn of the 20 th
century. From colonization and the disbandment of prevailing governance structures to
urbanization and independence from colonizers, the changes have resulted in the rise of
Southeast Asia as a critical region, both in Asia and around the world. The changes, captured
under two broad periods, are testament to the long way the region has come. In particular, the
changes have resulted in far reaching effects that have affected the economic, social, political,
and cultural well-being of the Southeast Asian states.

Changes in Southeast Asia 8

References

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