East and Southeast Asia: Diversity and Ingenuity - Coursework Example

East and Southeast Asia: Diversity and Ingenuity Introduction In the eve of 20th century, East and Southeast Asia is the center of attention of the world. In the last half-century, the world is taken aback by events that were not seen by other countries. First was the economic achievement of South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, in which all are deprived of natural resources but still managed to perform economic achievements that other western countries dubbed as miracles, considering the time that they needed to accomplish it. Social phenomena such as the Killing Fields in Cambodia, the People Power in the Philippines and the on-going civil war in Myanmar remain to be important events that completely changed how the western world view Asia as a whole. In the following paragraphs, an assessment of multiple topics would be discussed in order to describe East and Southeast Asia. Islam in East and Southeast Asia The introduction of Islam to this region has been an ongoing issue among various scholars. There are various theories surrounding the induction of Islam in this part of the world, where mostly Muslim traders are involved. Despite the debate, scholars have pointed out that Islamic influence is at least six centuries old, pointing out the year 1400 A.D. as the starting point of Islam in Southeast Asia Despite the numerous debates regarding the actual timing of Islam in these regions, scholars all agree that the Islamization of Southeast and East Asia occured rapidly, especially in Southeast Asia wherein there are more adherent to Islam (the case of Indonesia and Malaysia). Currently, Islam and its adherents are closely related to the ongoing terrorist activity throughout the world and the situation in East and Southeast Asia are relatively close. The case of terrorist attacks in Philippines, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian country are pointed to the Islamic terrorist group known as Jamal Islamiya, a sub group of Osama’s Al Qaeda. Ethnic conflicts and racism towards Muslim people was the offset of such terrorist attack. Globalization to East and Southeast Asia In terms of which is more globalized, East Asia is more developed and industrialized compared to Southeast Asia while Japan leads Asia in terms of economic performance. Three out of the 4 tiger economies of Asia are from East Asia (South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong ), cementing the fact that East Asian countries is much closer to be dubbed as developed countries rather than its Southeast Asian contemporaries. The framework behind this was a heavy export oriented approach during the decades of the 70s and 80s, especially South Korea as it became one of the leading manufacturers in various industries. Another factor was close intervention of Western countries in their economies, Britain being a former “tenant” of Hong Kong and the United States giving huge amounts of financial assistance to South Korea and Taiwan. With the exception of Brunei, the other Southeast Asian countries are still in the middle of their globalization schemes. Countries in Southeast Asia are constantly plagued by domestic turmoil such as civil wars and ethnic conflicts (the case of Myanmar, Laos, Philippines and Vietnam). Furthermore, bureaucracy was also a major factor why Southeast was left behind by its East counterparts. Two countries in Southeast Asia were labeled as countries who have the most corrupt government officials (the Philippines and Indonesia). However, there are some great economic performances in the recent years, such as Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia achieving significant economic growth. Nationalism and Socialism in East and Southeast Asia The issue of nationalism and socialism could be best described based on the experiences of Southeast and East Asian countries, wherein most of the countries came under colonialism. In East Asia, the two Koreas experienced nationalism. Under the administration of Park Chung Hee, South Korea experienced a soft form of socialism, wherein tight control of the economy could be seen and many institutions revolved around the government. North Korea has been under the communist rule for nearly 70 decades and has closed its doors to the outside world. Taiwan is under a democratic rule despite Mainland China being the largest communist country in the world. Taiwan’s reluctance to be a part of a communist state is a clear sign of their nationalist spirit which draws back its history way back to Chiang Kai Shiek. The experience of Southeast Asia in nationalism and socialism could best be described by what these two mean. The Philippine People Power of 1986 is the best example of nationalism as the people performed a bloodless revolution, a first of its kind in Asia. Socialism is best described in the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, wherein the government is headed by military officials. The case of Vietnam is also seen from the perspective of socialism when the country was split into two, North and South Vietnam. Colonialism in East and Southeast Asia Much of Asia has been under the influence of western countries and colonialism has played an important part in the formation of each country. Japan, for an instance, would not have begun its modernization process if not for the intervention of the United States of America and possible threats from western powers. South Korea would not have an effective educational system if not for the Japanese who established numerous educational institutions and cemented the importance of education during their stay in the country. Much could be said about Hong Kong and the importance of Britain in their economic history. In Southeast Asia, the influence of colonialism is immeasurable and much is characterized by resource exploitation. In the Philippines alone, Christianity is considered as a Spanish heritage while in Burma, Great Britain played an important role in shaping the country’s present economy. The Dutch greatly benefitted from its Dutch East India Company, making use of the country’s natural resources. Portugal on the other hand turned Macao into a small European country that is highlighted by Las Vegas style casinos, making it a famous tourist destination. Trading was the primary reason why western powers pursue colonialism in Asia particularly Southeast Asia, as it contains the world’s exotic commodities such as “spice” products. Traditions and Cultures in East and Southeast Asia Diversity and ingenuity not to mention a long history, could best describe traditions and cultures of East and Southeast Asia. In particular, Japan’s tradition is closely related to nature, particularly the relationship of tea ceremony and cherry blossom. Japan’s culture is greatly influenced by their religion which is Shintoism and Buddhism. In South Korea, castles and other buildings from the three kingdom periods still exist and much of their artistic skills are seen from their vast compilation of national treasures such as the gilt bronze incense burner. In Southeast Asia, religions highlight most of cultural practices and traditions. In the Philippines, holy week is always characterized by people who perform “prusisyon” or the re-enactment of Christ’s suffering up to the point of giving out real crucifixion. Other town fiestas are also devoted to saints and patrons of their respective churches. In Indonesia, people are very observant of their Islam practices, strictly adhering to the teachings of the Koran. In Cambodia, their culture is still seen from the famous Angkor Wat, remnants of the old kingdom that once ruled the country and became famous for its rulers. Another unique characteristic of Southeast Asia is its ethnic diversity. Multiple ethnic communities, both minor and major, composed the total population of each country; each community having its own culture, dialect and history, thus making a colourful tradition and culture Conclusion It is without a doubt that East and Southeast Asia are centres of both economic and social activities. They have been centres of studies for most scholars as they present the most intriguing and interesting subject of studies. The current economic crisis plays an important role in this region and the upcoming years are of vital importance to the region. The period would determine whether East and Southeast Asia would seize the initiative to re-shape the world’s foundation and come out as the primary leaders, dictators of world movements. Bibliography Clammer, J, 2003, Globalisation, Class, Consumption and Civil Society in South-east Asian Cities, Urban Studies, Vol.40, no. 2 403-419. Mattick, P., 1959, Nationalism and Socialism, American Socialist, Vol. 6, no.9 16-19 Vaughn, B, 2005, Islam in South and Southeast Asia, CRS Report for Congress, The Library of Congress Wilson, C, n.a., Colonialism and Nationalism in Southeast Asia, Crossroads: an introduction to Southeast Asia, viewed 20 February 2009, http://www.seasite.niu.edu/crossroads/wilson/colonialism.htm Tierney, R, 2007, Ethnography in East Asia: Colonialism, Modernity and the State, paper presented to AAS Annual Meeting, 22-25 March 2007. Read More