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Malaya and Its History
An accurate, concise and interesting overview of the history of Malaya, including a description of the peoples of the region. Slightly less than half the book deals with pre-British Malaya, and includes the kingdom of Malacca and the Dutch arrival in the region.
162 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1969
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December 14, 2017
Richard Winstedt is said to be one of the leading authorities on colonial Malaya. The Oxford-educated colonial officer was stationed in Malaya and continued the tradition of officers before him in documenting the community, its history, and the economic and political movements going on during the time of the British Empire. While his documenting of Malayan history is enlightening to anyone who's interested in a pre-Independent Malaya - the critical thing to keep in mind is that as an English Orientalist, R. Winstedt writes for the benefit of the British Empire and does not necessarily frame Malaya, its community and affairs in light that will be critical of the English position.
With that in mind, one should be sceptical of his (generalised) accounts of race relations and social hierarchies. There are, however, a few things one can appreciate about this colonial report. The first would be his examination of the Malayan economy, and how the British industrialised Malaya's natural resources while racialising the industries. The second is a painstaking effort to document the historical thread and transaction that ran through from the British entry in Perak, to a few years before they were forced to return to Europe for World War 2. These sections covered how the Malayan political movement, among the monarch, the Malay civil service and the working class took place.
By now, you would guess that I am a firm critic of colonialism. I read colonial texts for its historical value, and the facts embedded between the Orientalist perspectives. As far as historical accounts go, R. Winstedt deserves the respect he earns for documenting the historical progression in Malaya.
With that in mind, one should be sceptical of his (generalised) accounts of race relations and social hierarchies. There are, however, a few things one can appreciate about this colonial report. The first would be his examination of the Malayan economy, and how the British industrialised Malaya's natural resources while racialising the industries. The second is a painstaking effort to document the historical thread and transaction that ran through from the British entry in Perak, to a few years before they were forced to return to Europe for World War 2. These sections covered how the Malayan political movement, among the monarch, the Malay civil service and the working class took place.
By now, you would guess that I am a firm critic of colonialism. I read colonial texts for its historical value, and the facts embedded between the Orientalist perspectives. As far as historical accounts go, R. Winstedt deserves the respect he earns for documenting the historical progression in Malaya.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review