Ideological Problems in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Political, economic, and social forces are engendering the rise of Southeast Asia in the coming world. They are manifest in diplomatic relations, governmental policies and programs, and in public opinion. Such forces are formed not only by military and commercial aims but also by national and ethnic ways of life. Proposals for the future of Southeast Asia, whether made by governments or private industry, must consider traditional cultural bases, requisite cultural implementation, and eventual cultural evaluation. The peoples of this area already have convictions derived from experience, and may be expected to progress as they reflect and act upon their experience. What, then, are some of the exigent ideological issues and problems prevailing in Southeast Asia which may affect its future? Preliminary investigation of this inquiry seems to lead one to more questions than answers. First of all, how adequate and reliable is our present knowledge of the cultures of Burma, Thailand, Indo-China, the Philippines, Malaya, and Indonesia?' Expressions of their social attitudes, written before the advent of Western colonialism and the subsequent rise of national independence, may or may not be pertinent to contemporary issues in Southeast Asia as a whole. Has native scholarship sufficiently studied, digested, and utilized these traditional political and religious writings? Is Western scholarship linguistically competent and psychologically ready to interpret them properly? Certain ideological views are now being evolved and stated by Southeast Asians and other Asians and Westerners. But just how formative will these views be in the future development of Southeast Asia in relation to other areas and peoples?