Explaining South-East Asian Kingdoms

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett talk about Southeast Asia: where ancient slave empires meet modern tech hubs. From Angkor's temples to Singapore's skylines, discover how this crossroads between India and China shaped global trade while maintaining its uniquely fluid cultural identity. -- 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess -- SPONSOR: NETSUITE | SHOPIFY | ORACLE More than 40,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/zen - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/momentofzen Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia HIGHLIGHTS: Geographic & Demographic Context Southeast Asia historically had low population density compared to India and China The region is vast: Indonesia alone stretches the distance from London to Kyrgyzstan Much of current Southeast Asia is essentially the mountaintops of a previously larger landmass before sea levels rose Cultural Development & Trade Developed between two major civilizations: India and China Served as crucial link in global trade, especially luxury goods for Chinese market Experienced four major civilizational waves: Indian, Chinese, Islamic, and Western Key Historical States Khmer Empire (Cambodia) built Angkor Wat, operated as slave state Vietnam repeatedly resisted Chinese domination (27 invasions over 1000 years) Thailand (Siam) strategically adopted Western technology Burma formed through conquest and integration of multiple ethnic groups Modern Development Post-WWII Japanese occupation ended European colonial control Rapid industrialization in recent decades Different development paths (Thailand's steady growth vs Philippines' struggles) Cultural Insights Mountain vs valley people dynamics shaped society Strong influence of Buddhist monasteries on economic development Religious conversion (especially Christianity and Islam) played role in resistance movements Emphasis on collective rather than individual identity Contemporary Relevance Region experiencing some of world's fastest economic growth Dealing with rapid societal changes and modernization Tension between traditional values and Western influences Growing strategic importance in international relations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices