Western education is the key driving force in the rise of nationalism.

Discuss.
The rise of nationalism is defined as a period of time before world war two
where a series of efforts were put in place by the various nationalist
groups in Southeast Asia to advance their respective cultural-religious,
ethnic-economic or political aim so as to seek eventual independence or
autonomy to varying degrees. While there are other factors that played an
important part in inspiring the rise of nationalist movements, they are all
unequal in their degree of importance in contributing to the origins of
nationalism and the significance of Western education does rise about the
rise. Hence, this essay seeks to argue that Western education is indeed
the key driving force in the rise of nationalism asit is the one that ties all
other driving forces together which without, they will be too scattered to
actualise the nationalist movement.
Western education brought about the idea of nationalism that made the
Southeast Asian people realisedthat the subordinate positions that they
were in need not had to be so, thereby kindling the startof nationalist
movement. For instance, in Indonesia, Tjokroaminoto as well as other
Sarekat Islam leaders graduated from OSVIA and STOVIA, schools ran by
the Dutch to train civil servant and it was in those schools that they picked
up the idea of nationalism which would subsequently turn them against
the Dutch government. Likewise in Burma, it was after the 1920 University
of Rangoon strike that the students and other urban intellectuals realised
the power of nationalism in staging strikes for nationalist cause. Hence,
western education played an important role in the rise of nationalism as it
introduced the nationalists with the idea of a modern independent state,
which would be critical when there is sufficient impetus to espouse it.
Moreover,it was through western education that a class of elite leaders
that would know how to carry out their nationalist movement by
espousingsuccessful modelof nationalism presented through key
international events would be groomed, thereby further highlighting the
significance of western education in the rise of nationalist movement. For
eg in Vietnam, led by Ho Chi Minh who underwent education in France, the
Indochinese Communist Partys aim was to secure independence from
French colonial government by following the revolutionary tactics used as
seen in Bolshevik revolution to establish a communist state. Ho Chi Minh
learned specific details from the event and applied them to the 1930-1931
NgheTinh Revolt which provided the opportunity to establish the soviets
following the temporary collapse of the French authority in the provinces
of Nghe An and Ha Tinh. Similarly in Indonesia,led by HendricusSneevliet
who received his education in Netherlands,the IndischeSociaalDemocratischeVereening (ISDV)gained so much support amongst the
Indonesian population as well as Dutch soldiers especially sailors after the
Russian Revolution of 1917that the Dutch authorities got nervous.Hence,

western education is important as it groomed a class of elite leaders

withthe knowledge and wisdom to carry out the nationalist movement.
Furthermore, Though western education brought in the idea of
nationalism, without religion and culture as mediums,the alien idea of
nationalism would never have spread so extensively among the
uneducated masses. Religion and culture served as a unifying force in
building the support base such that the idea of nationalism brought in by
western education could work. For example, in Vietnam, Cao Dai and
HoaHao, established in 1926 and 1939 respectively, used religion to
propagate the idea of nationalism in Cochin-china. Given that the
presence of the French and their authority in the region was so strong, so
much so that any movement could take place is extremely difficult, its
impact on rise of nationalism is therefore significant. The influence of
religion and culture in the rise of nationalism in Southeast Asia can also be
seen in Indonesia. In 1912, SareketDagang Islam renamed itself as
Sarekat Islam and under the charismatic leadership of Tjokroaminoto who
inspired loyalty, respect and effective organisation of the movements
through the appeal of religion, the membership base of the group grew
quickly to 2million in 1919. This highlighted the importance of religion and
culture as a common platform between the nationalists and the masses in
acquainting them with the idea of nationalism and broadening the support
base of nationalist movement. Without a comprehensive support base
which was brought into being by the influence of religion and culture,
however inspiring the idea of nationalism is, western education alone is
not enough spur nationalism throughouteachSoutheast Asia country,
much less cut its teeth in overthrowing the colonial government.
Western education introduced the idea of nationalism, but it would not
have fleshed out if the erosion of historical roots of Southeast Asian
countries by the foreign influence had not created so much resentmentin
the first place that the nationalist would want to embrace this idea to oust
out the colonial government. For example, in Vietnam, their identity was
historically based on Confucian monarchy and the long tradition from
resisting Chinese colonialism. Hence when the French colonial government
undermined the authority of the Vietnamese monarchy by making the
Emperor a rubber stamp of the French republic and making it known to
the Vietnamese masses, it incurred the wrath of the Vietnamese so much
so that it gave rise to the first significant general uprising against the
French government known as the Can VuongMovementwhich lasted for
5years till 1889. 40000 Vietnamese Catholics were killed just because
they were perceived as allies of the French imperialists. The massacre
simply reflected how grave the outrage of the Vietnamese was when their
cultural identity was being threatened. This desire to protect their cultural
root would then provide the rationale behind the adoption of nationalism
that was brought in by Western education, hence showing that the two are
actually equally important.Similarly, the Burmese identity was historically
built on the twin pillar of Buddhism and Burmese monarch. Hence when
the British government abolished the monarchy which indirectly

invalidated the Sangha in Burma under British colonialism, it kindled the

Burmese desire to adopt the idea of nationalism so as to restore the
Burmese monarchy and to revive Buddhism. The abolition of the Burmese
monarchy led to widespread anti-British rebellions from 1885-1890
because it was a grave insult to their national pride. The pongyis lost their
prestige and status with the influx of foreign customs, cultures, traditions
and languages. This set the basis which caused them to become antiBritish and respond to the idea of nationalism brought in by Western
education. In 1906, the Young Men Buddhist Association (YMBA) was
formed to revive Buddhism. In 1920, it evolved into the General Council of
Burmese Association (GCBA) to pursue autonomy or set rule in Burma
through mobilising mass support. These are cases where historical roots
have clear underpinning in the adoption of the idea of nationalism,
showing that without either, nationalist movements would not have
sparked off.
In conclusion, western education is not the key driving force in the rise of
nationalism. Each of the factors had an equally important role to play in
giving rise to nationalist movements as they are all indispensable. While,
western education brought in the idea of nationalist movement, there has
to be a trigger like historical roots or some sort to provide the reason for it
to be carried out. Key international events gave the nationalist the model
to follow after, while religion and culture provided the nationalists with the
necessary support base for nationalism to lift off. Due this imperative
nature in each of the factor, each factor is therefore tantamount to each
other in contributing to the rise of nationalism and western education is
not above the rest.