What this lesson teaches
I can judge how well Southeast Asian governments built national unity in their diverse societies.
Syllabus 9174, Paper 2, Theme I, Learning Outcomes. evaluate the outcomes of Southeast Asian governments' efforts to build national unity in different contexts and over time
Make a guess
Thailand built national identity around the Thai language and Buddhism. How do you think minorities responded?
- The minority groups accepted it without objection.
- Most Chinese assimilated, but southern Malay Muslims resisted.
- The minority groups rejected it and rebelled against it.
Show the answer
Most Chinese assimilated, but southern Malay Muslims resisted.
A dominant culture can build a strong identity, but those who feel shut out may resist, as in Thailand's south.
Some governments built unity around the culture of the majority. This could create a strong identity, but minorities often felt shut out.
In a dominant culture approach, the state promotes the language, religion and customs of the largest group as the national culture. Minorities are expected to adopt it.
Thailand made the Thai language and Buddhism central to national identity. Chinese residents were pressed to take Thai names and attend Thai-language schools, and most assimilated. Malay Muslims in the south resisted, and a separatist movement grew.
In Burma, U Nu made Buddhism the state religion in 1961. Christian Kachin and other minorities saw this as forcing Burman culture on them, and the Kachin rebellion spread.
Under Suharto, Indonesia banned Chinese-language schools, publications and public festivals, and pressed Chinese Indonesians to take Indonesian names. Yet anti-Chinese violence returned in May 1998.
Malaysia gave Malay culture and the Malay language a special place. Malay became the sole national language in 1967, and the National Culture Policy of 1971 was based on Malay culture and Islam. Many Chinese and Indians felt like second-class citizens.
- Thailand
- Thai language, Buddhism and the monarchy at the centre.
- Burma, 1961
- Buddhism made the state religion.
- Malaysia
- Malay the sole national language from 1967.
Worked example: Judging the dominant culture approach
Did it unite or divide?
- Thailand: the Chinese assimilated; southern Malays resisted.
- Burma: forcing Burman culture fuelled ethnic wars.
- Indonesia: assimilation did not end anti-Chinese violence.
- Judgement: it united willing groups but alienated those who saw it as a threat.
Watch out for this
The dominant culture approach always failed.
It worked with groups willing to assimilate, such as many Chinese in Thailand. It failed where minorities had a strong separate identity, such as the Malay Muslims of southern Thailand.
Check your understanding
Why did Burma's 1961 state religion law worsen divisions?
- It banned Buddhism in schools and the army to please Christian minorities.
- Christian and other minorities saw it as forcing a Burman Buddhist identity on them.
- It gave minorities independence.
Show the answer
Christian and other minorities saw it as forcing a Burman Buddhist identity on them.
Right. The Kachin rebellion spread.