Panel

Collective Action in Pre-Modern Southeast Asia

Convener: Anton O. Zakharov, Institute of Oriental Studies, Moscow, Russia (antonzkhrv@yahoo.com )

The Panel will focus on the role of subalterns in the history of Southeast Asian state formation, statecraft, political institutions, and social developments, before modern times. How the subalterns influenced political evolution and development in different societies, how their activity in religious institutions affected decision-making, how their ways of life determined temple constructions, land donations or wars? What kinds of evidence are available to reconstruct the role of subalterns? How their role changed in various societies of Pre-Modern Southeast Asia?
Collective action theory implies that taxpayers, i.e. subalterns, influence state formation. Control of the revenue sources becomes a problem for the ruler. How was taxation organized in Pre-Modern Southeast Asia polities and how taxpayers could influence state policy? What kinds of revenue sources dominated in the region? What kinds of public goods were provided by the rulers in exchange of subaltern compliance?
It’s a well-known fact that many of Pre-Modern Southeast Asian polities were monarchies. They had bureaucracy but it was often underdeveloped. What means of control of bureaucracy and rulers existed in Southeast Asia? May we be sure that the only way to struggle for justice for subalterns was rebellion or revolt against ruling classes? What were the ways of official recruitment in Pre-Modern Southeast Asia? Could subalterns penetrate into the official staff?
What means of control of the rulers existed in Pre-Modern Southeast Asia? Can we speak of collective states concerning the region’s polities?