Notes

• Southeast Asia includes countries like Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, and Timor Leste
• Continental/Mainland SE Asia includes Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and parts of Malaysia, with Thailand being the only one never subjected to western colonial rule
• Insular/Maritime SE Asia consists of the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and East Timor, with Singapore being a Chinese-majority state and Timor being the youngest among the Southeast Asian states
• Political regimes in Southeast Asia vary, including Electoral Authoritarianism, Closed Autocracies, and Defective Democracies
• Electoral Authoritarianism is present when democratic institutions coexist with authoritarian practices, governments abuse power, and curtail civil society and media development; an example is Myanmar under Suu Kyi
• Closed Autocracies lack multi-party elections and tolerate no political competition, seen in Laos and Vietnam which follow a one-party communist system
• Defective Democracies have weak rule of law, fragile democratic institutions, political violence, and controversies, affecting stability and quality of democracy in Southeast Asia
• Asian Values Theory promotes unified values unique to Asian countries, emphasizing consensus, harmony, unity, and community
• Asian Values incorporate claims that human rights are not universal, societies prioritize family over individual, social and economic rights over political rights, and nations have the right to self-determination without external interference
• French Indochina consists of Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, with Vietnam being heavily influenced by Chinese culture and politics due to historical interactions
• Vietnam's pre-colonial history includes a mandarin type bureaucracy influenced by China, division between North and South, and a bureaucracy divided into civil and military sectors
• French colonization in Indochina began with a religious presence in Vietnam, seen as a threat to Confucianism, leading to conflicts and eventual French conquest
• In 1862, the Treaty on the official conquest of the 3 provinces adjacent to Saigon was signed, which France used as a gateway to conquer Vietnam and acquire the 3 provinces
• In August 1863, as a sign of protection against the French, the Cambodian King signed a protectorate agreement with France, making Cambodia a protectorate state of France
• France established the Indochina Union in 1887 with Saigon as its capital
• Luang Prabang of Laos became a protectorate of France in 1893, and the entire modern-day Laos became part of the French Indochina Union in 1898
• The entire federation of Indochina was ruled by a governor general residing in Saigon, with Laos and Cambodia being ruled by resident generals who submitted directly to the governor general
• Vietnam experienced the most French involvement, leading Vietnamese public servants, traders, and professionals to predominate in Laos’ small urban population and even in Cambodia
• Bureaucracy in Cambodia was mainly formed by French officials, with only ethnic Vietnamese freely permitted to participate in the government
• The arrival of the French in Cambodia led to the abolition of slavery and reduction of monarchical power
• The Japanese Occupation in Indochina during WW2 weakened France's position and encouraged revolutionary movements for independence in the three states
• After WW2, resistance from the three states led to their declaration of independence, with Vietnam and Laos remaining communist countries and Cambodia becoming a constitutional monarchy
• Mandala describes the patterns of diffused political power distributed among mueang/kedatuan
• Mandala "sanskrit" means circle in medieval period, meaning, the central power could be a dominant kingdom or city-state and the surrounding states where often tributary or allied confederation.
• In mandala, the center of the circle hold all the kidatuan (which are interconnected)
• Kidatuan is an autonomous unit that has its own ruler but recognizes the authority of the king.
• the proponents of Asian values are: Lee Kwan Yu and Mahathir Mohamad
• The main arguments of Asian Values include: Confucianism as a basis for governance; respect for hierarchy and family values; emphasis on education and hard work; importance of social harmony over individual rights; and the need for strong government leadership.
• Asian values have been criticized by Western scholars who argue that they promote authoritarianism and limit freedom of expression and human rights.
• Confucianism promotes filial piety, loyalty, and obedience to authority figures such as parents, teachers, and leaders.
• Some critics suggest that the idea of "Asian values" may be used as a justification for repressive regimes or cultural relativism.
• Human Rights Watch (HRW) argues that the concept of Asian values can be used to justify violations of basic human rights.
• In contrast, other scholars argue that the concept of Asian values has helped to foster economic development and stability in Asia.