Sarawak Indians in Recent Times: A Period of Integration.
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THE SARAWAK MUSEUM JOURNAL |
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Title :
Sarawak Indians in Recent Times: A Period of Integration. |
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Author :
Suresh Menon |
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Abstract:
The migration of Indians to Sarawak during the last few decades may be attributed to events occurring during the years between World War I and World War II, an important period in the history of the modern world. Its particular importance lies in the fact that there was a “Revolution of Expectations” in the minds of the underdeveloped and colonised world. There were literally no dark continents or undiscovered parts of the globe. The colonial powers of Europe were the masters of much of the non-European world. Three conditions existing at that time helped to revolutionise expectations of the ordinary people of the colonies. Firstly, the success of the American idea gave renewed hope to the rest of the world — the downtrodden and underdogs of European societies crossed the Atlantic to America and helped create an independent and economically successful country, a country that was free from the institutions of oppression and bondage. Secondly, the Russian communists under Lenin held to unrealistic though attractive ideas of equality and material utopea. Thirdly, much inspiration was drawn from the revolt, turmoil and upheavel that beseiged the biggest colony in the world, namely India,or what we commonly refer to as the Indian sub-continent. Independence movements were going on since the last century in that part of the world. The rest of the colonised world was watching whether the most powerful of the colonial powers, namely Britain, at the peak of its Imperial glory, would really grant independence to India. India was then the source of much of Britain’s power, wealth and comfort.
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| DOI: XXXX |
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How to cite:
Menon, S. (1989). Sarawak Indians in Recent Times: A Period of Integration. The Sarawak Museum Journal, XL (61): 253-270 |
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References
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