thayer pre-colonial influences in asia-pacific

8/2/2019 Thayer Pre-Colonial Influences in Asia-Pacific

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re- o on a n uences nthe Asia-Pacific Re ion

Emeritus Professor Carl ThayerEmeritus Professor Carl Thayer

Centre forCentre for DefenceDefence and Strategic Studiesand Strategic Studies

,,


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1.1. BackgroundBackgroundGeography, climate,Geography, climate,water, domesticationwater, domestication

of crops andof crops andanimals, surplusanimals, surplus

pro uc on, se en arypro uc on, se en ary

societies, writing,societies, writing,

(kings, bureaucrats,(kings, bureaucrats,

military, corveemilitary, corvee

labour, craftsmen)labour, craftsmen)

technologytechnology

ronze ron, tra eronze ron, tra e

navigation,navigation,


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Expansion of Modern Humansrom , years ago


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PrePre--ColonialColonial CivilisationsCivilisations

Indus Valley

Yellow River-


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Pre-colonial Asia: States and Securityyy


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The Silk Road


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2. Pre2. Pre--Colonial States in IndiaColonial States in IndiaUnified sub-continent

Ashoka first universalemperorBudhism peaked

Kautilya, ArthashastraBramin advisersLand revenue

MandalaBorder with Greece

321 BCE 183 CE


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Buddhism 6th C

First area ofBuddhist

m ss onary act v ty

Rise of Maha anaBuddhism


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--

IndiaIndia

HinduismHinduismo erance towar so erance towar s

BuddhismBuddhism

SubSub--continentalcontinentalfocusfocus


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MoghulMoghul EmpireEmpire15261526--1858 CE1858 CE

subjected tosubjected to

by Persians,by Persians,,,

Central AsiansCentral Asians

Hinduism coHinduism co--


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Indianization of Southeast Asia

Chola Dynasty 9thChola Dynasty 9th--13th Century CE13th Century CE


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thth--


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Indianization of Southeast AsiaIndianization of Southeast Asia

Prambanan Temple, Java 850 CE


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Srivijaya Empire 10Srivijaya Empire 10thth--1111thth CenturyCentury


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--


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..


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The Chinese Tribute SystemThe Chinese Tribute System


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World viewed as aWorld viewed as a No interNo inter-- overnmentovernment

single unitsingle unitChina was the MiddleChina was the Middle

relations per serelations per seNo role forNo role for

KingdomKingdom

Emperor hadEmperor had

international law orinternational law orcooperationcooperation

people under heavenpeople under heaven

Con uest throu hCon uest throu h

Secure recognitionSecure recognition

Chastise a state that hadChastise a state that had

culture and virtueculture and virtue

of conductof conduct


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Inequality of nations aInequality of nations afundamental featurefundamental feature Strong dynastiesStrong dynastieswere expansivewere expansive

ns stence onns stence onhierarchy in relationshierarchy in relations

China did not interfereChina did not interfere

in internal affairsin internal affairsr u ary re a onsr u ary re a onsbased on personalbased on personal

Compliant behaviorCompliant behaviorrewardedrewarded

China recognized asChina recognized as ogue s a esogue s a eschastised or punishedchastised or punished


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Chinese S stemChinese S stem The RealitThe Realit

warwar China unified bChina unified b

subjected to periodicsubjected to periodicinvasioninvasion

warwar

War and or anizinWar and or anizin

Korea seen as aKorea seen as a

model tributary statemodel tributary statefor war mainstays offor war mainstays ofgovernmentgovernment

Vietnam seen as aVietnam seen as anoncompliant andnoncompliant and

Two strategic culturesTwo strategic cultures IdealizedIdealized

rebelliousrebellious

OperationalOperational


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Sinification


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Admiral Cheng Ho, 1405Admiral Cheng Ho, 1405--3333


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--

Hereditary nonHereditary non--

NonNon--hereditaryhereditarycentralizedcentralized

administrationadministration

Aggressive interstateAggressive interstate

administrationadministration

Relativel beni n,Relativel beni n,behavior, need tobehavior, need toprove superiorityprove superiority

superiority manifest insuperiority manifest incultural terms,cultural terms,

of superior powerof superior power superiority notsuperiority notamenable to proof byamenable to proof by


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Vague definition ofVague definition ofbordersborders

Clear notion of ownClear notion of ownborders but not ofborders but not of

international politicalinternational political

ower in form ofower in form of

Concentric circlesConcentric circles

re resentinre resentinconcentric circles;concentric circles;enemies and friendsenemies and friends

decreasing culturaldecreasing culturalinfluence, hostilityinfluence, hostility

,,neighbor primaryneighbor primaryenemyenemy

,,neighbors likeneighbors likeyounger brothersyounger brothers


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..


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5. The Age of Commerce5. The Age of Commerce14501450--16801680


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Islam and the WestIslam and the West

Direct contact with Mecca

Portugal attacked and seizedMalacca Sultanate 1511

Span fought the Moors in the

Philippines

Christian-Muslim conflict -discourse of jihad

Aid received from OttomanEmpire

Collision of Christianity and Islam setoff violent confrontation

Portugal attacked and destroyed

Indonesian volunteers fought

in India

us m tra e n n an cean romlate 15th Century


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PrePre--colonial Forces as Fundamentalcolonial Forces as Fundamental

Drivers in the Contemporary PeriodDrivers in the Contemporary Period

n u smn u sm as ta en a nat ona st po t caas ta en a nat ona st po t caformform ara ya ana a ar y n n aara ya ana a ar y n n a

Malaysia in 2007Malaysia in 2007--0808

u sm p ays an mpor an omes cu sm p ays an mpor an omes cpolitical role in Thailand, Cambodia, Tibetpolitical role in Thailand, Cambodia, Tibet

Opposition to government Vietnam, MyanmarOpposition to government Vietnam, Myanmar


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s ams am -- po ca ro epo ca ro e

Pakistan/Malaysia/BruneiPakistan/Malaysia/Brunei

Domestic politics in Indonesia & MalaysiaDomestic politics in Indonesia & Malaysia

Introduction of sharia law/reIntroduction of sharia law/re--establishment ofestablishment of

EthnoEthno--nationalist conflicts in Kashmir,nationalist conflicts in Kashmir,, ,, ,

Xinjiang (China)Xinjiang (China)

EastEast


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ConfucianismConfucianism

China, Vietnam and South KoreaChina, Vietnam and South Korea

Role in Asian values debateRole in Asian values debate

Hu JinHu Jin--tao harmony and harmonious worldtao harmony and harmonious worldChinas economic and political influence inChinas economic and political influence inSoutheast AsiaSoutheast Asia

Ming Dynasty stimulated production for ChinaMing Dynasty stimulated production for Chinamarketmarket

Revival of tribute systemRevival of tribute system


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err tor a sputeserr tor a sputes East and South China SeaEast and South China Sea

Cambodia and Preah Vihear Temple disputeCambodia and Preah Vihear Temple dispute

PiracyPiracyInternational trade passes through strategicInternational trade passes through strategicstraits and choke points of Southeast Asiastraits and choke points of Southeast Asia

potent drivers of changepotent drivers of change

--


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DirectDirect andand IndirectIndirect colonialcolonial rulerule

TerritoryTerritory rigidlyrigidly demarcateddemarcatedCentralizedCentralized administrationadministration && lawlaw && orderorder Taxation,Taxation, coveecovee labourlabour

AlienAlien immi rantsimmi rantsEconomicEconomic developmentdevelopment

MediaMedia developeddeveloped


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PrePre--Colonial Influences inColonial Influences in

[email protected]@adfa.edu.au

thayer pre-colonial influences in asia-pacific

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