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Early Civilizations and Trading Kingdoms

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Early Civilizations and Trading Kingdoms

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As the video reached 500 B.C you would see fields of rice growing. in the lowlands of Cambodia and Vietnam. Everywhere you would notice populations  increasing because of plentiful harvests. Soon you would see villages specializing in particular crafts and trading goods with one another as societies became more complex. More than 2,000 years ago, civilizations grew up in the river valleys, where rice crops kept the populations well fed.

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Between A.D 500 and 1500, kingdoms grew and trade expanded. Southeast Asians blended foreign influences into their own culture. The region's location on international trade routes led to contact with India and China. Local kingdoms adopted religions from India, such as Buddhism and Hinduism. Commerce created such wealth that coastal states fought to control trade. One of the busiest trade routes went through the Strat of Malacca. Srivijaya, a Hind- Buddhist kingdom on Sumatra, controlled to the strait from A.D 600 to 1300.

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On the mainland, a civilization rose in what is now Cambodia. The Khmers modified the physical environment by building irrigation  projects to meet their needs. They built reservoirs, or storage pools, of rainwater to irrigate rice fields. This produced huge harvests. They grew rich by selling their extra, or surplus, food. The Khmer empire was a kind of seed culture from which many Southeast Asian tradition grew. The Khmers had a strong influence on the culture of Cambodia and Thailand.

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During the following centuries, Western powers lightened their grip on Southeast Asia and exploited, or took advantage of, the region's resources. Western governments introduced export crops such as rubber and coffee. The Spanish, Dutch, British, French, and Americans all founded colonies there. Only Thailand managed to resist colonization. From the 1850s to the 1950s, all of Southeast Asia except Thailand was occupied by Western- nations. During that hundred year period the region changed forever. Large plantations replaced small farms.

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For some nations, the fight for independence was long and bloody. In Vietnam, communist forces under Ho Chi Minh fought the French. War lasted until 1954, when France gave up control. Vietnam was divided into two republics; a communist north and a non-communist south. However, fighting soon developed between north and south. The United States first sent advisers and then troops to South Vietnam to stop the spread of communism. The fighting spread to neighboring nations. This war dragged on neighboring nations. This war dragged on until 1975, when the country was united under communist rule, following the departure o the United States troops from the area.

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The 1900s had been a violent century for Southeast Asia. The communist nations of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia all suffered terribly from the wars of the mainland. In addition, some communist economic policies had been disastrous. In the late 1980s, the three communist countries adopted some free enterprise practices that finally turned their economies around. However, today the communist countries of Southeast Asia remain the poorest nations in the region.

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Southeast Asia's location led to attracting merchants, immigrants, new customs, and new religions. Today, the cultures of Southeast Asia are still being shaped by the diversity of peoples and the environment they share.

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Hinduism and Buddhism were brought to China from India and Sri Lanka. Later on, Islam was brought from Arab traders, which took root in Malaysia and most of Indonesia. Due to European influence, Christianity gained converts, especially in the Philippines and Vietnam. In the mainland, Buddhism is the main religion but Islam dominates in Indonesia and on the Malay Peninsula. Most of the people in the Philippines are Christians. In Malaysia, there is 2 systems of justice. One of the 2 systems is Secular the other is Islamic which is used mainly by Muslims. There is culture blending in Indonesia because of there being Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus in Indonesia. Indonesia still has the largest population of Muslims in the world.

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Republics like Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and East Timor have constitutions that provide citizens with protections and freedom. Like the United States these countries have legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. Democracy has been growing in Indonesia due to the fall of dictator Suharto in 1998. Malaysia, Cambodia, the kingdom of Thailand, and the sultanate of Brunei are all constitutional monarchies in which one person rules as head of state. But there is a bit of democracy in the nations. Other nations allow much less democracy. The regions Communist nations are ruled by an oligarchy, or a small group of people. In Laos, the small group of people who control the government choose both the President and Prime Minster of Laos. Myanmar was ruled by a military junta until recently. The junta blocked disaster relief intended for victims of a cyclone in 2008.

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Recently in Myanmar, incredible strides have been made to promote democratic reforms. In 2010, Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest and was elected into Myanmar's parliament. The country is headed into a more open society while promoting economic development. In the Philippines, is fighting a rebellion from a Muslim separatist group on islands in the south and west. Following many years of protests and demonstrations in Thailand, a new prime minister was elected in 2011, being Yingluck Shinawatra. The Thailand people hoped for democratic reforms from their new prime minister but they have not gotten democratic reforms yet. More protests occur in democratic countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, there are many raging disputes over economic issues, corruption, election fraud, and crime rates.

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Countries with higher rates of population growth must worry about feeding a growing population. Countries with low population have to worry about the future. Singapore's population is hardly growing at all. To encourage growth, the government has offered citizens tax rebates of thousands of dollars for every child that is born. In contrast, Indonesia is dealing with overcrowding on the island of Java, where most of the Indonesian population resides. Overpopulation is a problem due to many reasons. For example, overpopulation strains resources. It also damages the environment. The Indonesian government has made an effort to encourage people to migrate to smaller islands, but that effort hasn't been enough to attract people to the smaller islands.

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Because of the global demand for wood products, Southeast Asian forests are disappearing. Countries such as Indonesia are having difficulty stopping this destruction. A weak central government has been unable to enforce regulations. In 1997,  an environmental disaster struck Southeast Asia as fires meant to clear land burned out of control. The fires destroyed millions of acres of forest and created a huge cloud of smoke that threatened economies and public health. The fires were eventually stopped by water from the monsoons.

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A successful economy depends on certain conditions. There must be a stable government, natural resources, skilled workers, banks, and transportation and communication systems. Singapore and Brunei met these requirements and are the most successful countries economically. More than half of Brunei's income comes from oil and natural gas production. Singapore's economy is based on exports of consumer electronics and information technology. The economies of Southeast Asia are as diverse as other aspects of the region. Although international trade is bringing change to countries such as Indonesia, nations such as Cambodia continue to struggle to become globalized. Countries without transportation networks, stable government, or freedom for their citizens have difficulty in attracting foreign investments. Nations with oil and natural gas such as Indonesia are more attractive to investors.

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Today, Southeast Asia is once again a center of international trade. The Strait of Malacca is a major global shipping lane. The ports of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia benefit greatly from such traffic. But there are also enormous dangers along the strait. Modern-day pirates have attacked merchant ships. And since the al Qaeda attack on September 11 and later attacks in Indonesia, there is a new fear. Attack by militant groups on shipping could endanger the world's oil supply. All the countries in the region have growth for economic growth. Tourism is an important source of income in all of Southeast Asia. Malaysia is developing a new high-technology industries, but the lack of skilled labor may be an obstacle. ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a trade group working to promote growth and social progress. The organization has reduced regional tariffs and has created a free-trade area.