L'évolution de la société cambodgienne entre les deux guerres mondiales (1919-1939) : pour le doctorat d'histoire

The evolution of cambodian society between the two world wars (1919-1939)

• Auteur / Autrice : Samnang Sorn
• Direction : Catherine Coquery-Vidrovitch
• Type : Thèse de doctorat
• Discipline(s) : Histoire
• Date : Soutenance en 1995
• Etablissement(s) : Paris 7

Résumé

Le cambodge fut place sous le protectorat francais en 1863 et fit partie de l'union indochinoise en 1887. La mise en valeur du domaine colonial francais en indochine fut amorce avant la fin du siecle dernier. Mais le tournant decisif fut pris en 1911. Au cambodge, la politique administrative du protectorat se reorganisa par etapes. Les reformes de 1911 et de 1919 furent completees par celle de 1921 par laquelle, une administration indirecte se transforma en une administration quasi-directe. Les bases de transformation de la societe cambodgienne furent jetees successivement a partir de 1911. Les enseignements traditionnel, officiel et religieux poursuivirent leur evolution progressive et a partir des annees 1930 ils parvinrent a former une nouvelle elite cambodgienne. Sur le plan economique, les premieres mesures de reforme furent prises des le debut des annees 20. Elles contribuerent a l'amelioration des conditions de vie de la population. Mais le debut des annees 30 fut marque notamment par la crise economique qui dura jusqu'a 1937. A l'issue d'une courte periode de relevement economique, les cambodgiens durent affronter une nouvelle conjoncture dramatique : l'eclatement de la seconde guerre mondiale alors que le cambodge etait encore a un stade embryonnaire de son developpement economique.

Cambodia was placed under the french protectorate in 1863 and was a part of indochinese union in 1887. The french colonial domain in indochina began in earnest by the end of last century. However, the crucial turning point was in 1911. In cambodia, the administrative policy conducted by the protectorate was reorganized in various steps. The reforms of 1911 and 1919 were completed by that of 1921 by which an indirect rule wastransformed into a nearly-direct rule. The bases of the transformation of cambodian society were set up successively from 1911. The traditional, official and religious educations were gradually reformed and from the 1930s they managed to produce a new cambodian elite. In economic field, the first reform measures were taken from the beginning of the 1920s. They contributed to the improvement of the people's living conditions. But the beginning of the 1930s was marked by the economic crisis which lasted until 1937. At the close of a short period of economic recovery, cambodians had to overcome new dramatic circumstances : the break-out of the second world war a time when cambodia remained in the embryonic stage of its economic development.