Effectiveness of ideology in achieving NU

Question 1

An assimilative ideology was significant insofar as it effectively constructed a widely-acknowledged national identity that united the populace (T, P)

Answer 1

[P]
- Centrality of the State and military
- Rewrote Filipino history by placing himself at the forefront of the state, justifying his martial rule and creating a new basis for national unity based on his presidency and the military

[T] Nation, religion, king
- Triadic focus on exclusive Thai-ness, Buddhism and the Monarch
- 1898 Uniform Syllabus — standardised Thai introduced, Buddhism taught in curriculum
- Under vajiravudh; primary education law — all children aged 7-14 have to attend school conducted in Thai
NE curriculum focused on linguistic, cultural and ethnic unity based on Thai-ness

⇒ Widespread acceptance, including hill tribe minorities like Hmongs and Isans

Question 2

Ideology was also significant insofar as it cemented over religious-based opposition and depoliticised these groups = less propensity to create opposition and thus maintained social stability (V, I)

Answer 2

[V] Common anti-colonial struggle
Internationalist nature of communism → Bypass ethnic and religious-based approaches
Repressive control of religious groups like Vietnamese Buddhist Church and Committee for Solidarity of Patriotic Catholics → Prevented politicisation and potential unrest

⇒ Prevented religious influences on social stability, vs Diem’s provocation of the Buddhist Crisis in 1963

[I] Pancasila, accompanied by depoliticisation of Islami groups
1973 Golkar Bill
1985 Ormas → Separation of religion from state
⇒ Prevented repeats of religion-motivated unrest like 1953 Darul Islam, 1984 Tanjung Priok

Question 3

Despite the achievement of a widely acknowledged shared national identity, ideology was detrimental when assimilative as it alienated minorities and made them feel out of place (T,B)

Answer 3

[T]
-1938-1946 Ratthaniyom directives → Sarongs, Malay names, Malay language, Shariah law, Islamic instruction prohibited
⇒ 1948 Dusun Nyiur incident
- 1965 Thammathut and Thammacarik Buddhist conversion efforts
⇒ Contributed to formation of PULO and PULA

[B] U Nu’s Buddhist Socialism rejected by Christian minorities
- 1952 pyidawtha plan, 1952-1954 World Peace Pagoda and Great Cave
- 1961 State Religion Bill → Buddhism declared the national religion
⇒ Alienated non-Buddhist minorities, with Shan joining Kachins and Karens in rebellion
⇒ 10% of country controlled by minority insurgents by 1962
⇒ Sustained insurgencies by KNU/MTA/KIA well into 1990s

Question 4

However, accomodative state ideologies tended to create disparate identities within the country which prevented the creation of a shared common identity (S,M)

Answer 4

[S] Shared Values
- Multiculturalism → Constructed SG identity comprising traditional elements of CMIO model
- 1991 Shared Values → Preserve Asian values common to various ethnic groups with unifying guiding principles
⇒ Manufactured synthetic identity unable to compensate for identity deficit
⇒ Compartmentalisation along racial lines reinforced ethnic distinctiveness, e.g. self-help groups

[M]
- 1970 Rukunegara; Emphasised national unity in ethnic diversity, generic principles to appeal to populace
- Shift to ethnically-neutral policies
1981 Malaysia Boleh and 1991 Bangsa Malaysia gained much less traction than Islamisation