Assignment No.

2: How has colonialism shaped the national boundaries, political and economic geography as well as
the quest for democracy & good governance. Discuss in the light of structural modernization and cultural
perspectives. Cite specific examples.

Colonialism helped to shape the modern world, it is true that there are negative effects but it also has its
positive effects that brought many changes to the modern world. Davidson (1964) stated that “ looking back,
one may see now that the colonial period was no more than a large episode in the onward movement of
life; in another sense, it was an unexampled means of revolutionary change”. We cannot disagree that
technology was one of the positive effects of colonialism. International trading was also brought by
colonialism, one example is the trading in Silk Road, the Strait of Malacca and Galleon Trade. Another one
is religion, just like the Spaniard brought Christianity to the Philippines. Just as colonialism affected the
whole world, it brought immense change to the southeast Asian region.
Southeast Asian Region was colonized by major European countries of the19 th century; Spain, France,
Netherlands, and Great Britain. Philippines was discovered by Ferdinand Magellan who was a Portuguese
and an explorer paid the Kingdom of Spain to find the spice islands. Indonesia was first explored by
Portugal and Spain and were assumed that it was too also Magellan’s voyage team because of his mission
to find the spice islands. Then, the Dutch United East India Company established the headquarters in
Batavia (Jakarta). France and Great Britain established Thailand as their neutral territory.
Southeast Asian Region was greatly affected by the westerners both in politics and economy. It may be
major change in economy and politics or a miniscule of change in economy and immense in terms of
politics. An example of miniscule change of economy is Cambodia, the France did little to change the
economy of the country, they neither intervene to the village based economy but France allowed the
immigrants to enter the country which mainly composed of the members of Indochina Union which later on
shaped the country’s economic development. Cambodia underwent several political changes. As the
beginning of the colonialism Cambodia entered the protection with France to ensure the safety of the
country and its people. And the Japanese troop convinced the incumbent king to declare independence but
the momentum was broken yet eventually Cambodia obtained its full sovereignty. France did a miniscule of
intervention on the economic aspect but it mostly intervened in the politics. It has shaped the country’s
political development later on.