And Now.... BRUNEI
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• How has Brunei's geographic location influenced its history? • Why is that history so important to an understanding of Bruneian culture today? • What types of economic and global challenges does Brunei face in the 21st century? • How is its government dealing with them? Here's some background for your research into those questions.
The time: November 2000. The place: an airport in Brunei Darussalam, Southeast Asia. Among the arriving visitors are heads of state and other leaders from 20 nations in the group known as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). They've come to Brunei (also an APEC member) to confer on world trade and globalization. And their setting is symbolic. Brunei's own history is a lesson on how trade influences nations….
Early influence. Millennia ago, the lush tropical islands of Southeast Asia were populated by Malays and other peoples who became skilled in cultivation (tea, spices, rice) and handcrafts (cloth weaving, silverwork). As they exchanged products, they built trade links reaching from the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. And from there, they reached out to merchants in nearby regions. Around the 7th century CE, one such group — traders from Arabia — introduced the religion of Islam throughout these islands. The religion spread widely. Indeed, Brunei, a trading kingdom on the island of Borneo, was an Islamic sultanate (monarchy) by 1371.
East meets West. When European merchant ships first arrived (1521), Brunei controlled most of Borneo, many nearby islands, and part of the Philippines. But this empire did not last. Dazzled by the region's resources, Dutch, French, and British traders urged their governments to colonize (or otherwise control) Southeast Asia. And while Brunei never became a colony, it lost much territory. Brunei did become a British protectorate in 1888. But in 1959, it proclaimed its right to govern itself under a new constitution. And in 1984, it regained full independence.
Independence. Brunei is still a Malay Islamic
monarchy. And its sultan still has powers that today's world would classify
as legislative and executive. But many changes have occurred, too. Brunei's
legal system now includes principles of English common law, as well as
traditional law. And it has a new economy. The development of oil and
gas reserves has made Brunei a wealthy country, with excellent schools,
hospitals, roads, and communications. Profits from exporting both products
(and from investments) have raised its per-capita purchasing power to
$17,600 — the 34th highest in the world. And Brunei's 344,000 people enjoy
free healthcare and education.
And now.... Still, there's reason for concern. The country's fossil
fuels may run out in 20 years. To offset that loss, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's
government works hard to diversify the economy by promoting other industries,
such as eco-tourism and international financial services. But that presents
a challenge, too. Service industries involve one-to-one interactions with
people all over the world. And Brunei's leaders worry about the impact
that this aspect of globalization could have on their kingdom's cultural
traditions.
So: Will Brunei "close its doors"?
Hardly. Its sultan is a supporter of free world trade. Brunei is active
in APEC, the UN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other
international groups. And it supports ASEAN's guidelines: consultation,
consensus, cooperation…. Keep your eyes on Brunei. It's resilient.
And it has history on its side.
Research Tip. For a good outline of Brunei's
population, government, and economy, check the "Country Listing"
for Brunei in the CIA's World Factbook 2001.
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