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Journal article
Liberating Thai History: The Thai Past in an Asian Century
Manusya : journal of humanities, Vol.26(1), pp.1-15
2024
Abstract
The nationalist plot of modern Thai history stresses the kingdom’s exceptionalism as the only un-colonized state in Southeast Asia and highlights the steadiness of unbroken monarchy. Critics of the established narrative by contrast argue that Siam/Thailand bore many similarities to neighboring satellites of the Western powers that subordinated traditional authority and hence was a “semi-colony” of the West rather than a truly independent state. This paper argues that the semi-colonial view remains a better frame to study modern Thai history and that semi-coloniality produced a hybrid political culture among an educated new generation born around 1900. The young generation forged the popular struggles that after the 1932 end of the absolute monarchy sought to build a more fair and equitable society. These aspirations and the hybrid political culture of the time are a crucial but often overlooked part of modern Thai history.
Details
- Title
- Liberating Thai History: The Thai Past in an Asian Century
- Authors/Creators
- Arjun Subrahmanyan - Murdoch University
- Publication Details
- Manusya : journal of humanities, Vol.26(1), pp.1-15
- Publisher
- Brill
- Identifiers
- 991005654253807891
- Copyright
- © Arjun Subrahmanyan, 2024
- Murdoch Affiliation
- College of Law, Arts and Social Sciences; School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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