MJC_H2_HIST_P2_Suggested_answers

1 Suggested answers for MJC Prelims Paper 2 (2015) Q1: How far do sources A-E show that the Asian Financial Crisis had marked a turning point in ASEAN’s regional cooperation? Support set:- - Source B: strong source – reliable and useful - Source C: strong source – reliable and useful Challenge set:- - Source E: not a strong source – has agenda Support and Challenge:- - Source A: strong source – reliable and useful - Source D: not a strong source – has agenda Conclusion:- - Support side is preferred. Sources largely support the hypothesis that the AFC has indeed marked a turning point in ASEAN regional cooperation. Q2: Why were some pre-WWII Southeast Asian nationalist movements more successful than others? Topic: Reasons for achievements and limitations of pre-war SEA nationalism Students could examine:- - Nature/methods: were moderates more successful than radical movements in achieving concessions? - Relationship with colonial powers: Benign vs. oppressive colonial powers. Former more willing to grant concessions to the nationalists. - Strength of nationalist movements: explain ability to appeal to masses; availability of good leaders. - Context: presence of deep grievances/inspiration Q3: “Negotiation rather than confrontation was the more effective way of obtaining independence.” Discuss Topic: Methods to Decolonisation Students could examine:- - Negotiation: less costly, possible for colonies that had good relationship with their colonial powers, more rapid achievement of independence. - Confrontation: more costly, but be the only choice for nationalists whose colonial powers were not willing to negotiate. Could be more effective in terms of putting pressure on colonial powers to eventually agree to independence. Need to establish a criterion for comparison. - More effective: less costly? More rapid achievement of independence? Q4: Assess the view that historical legitimacy best explains why Communism was successful in some independent Southeast Asian countries, but not others. Topic: Political structures – Communism Students could examine:- - Historical reasons: Role of communist nationalist movements in the struggle for independence - Present reasons: - Relative strength of other alternatives – military/other non-Communist civilian governments.

2 - External context of the Cold War: USA’s intervention made it difficult for communism to succeed - Presence of internal economic reasons: unresolved economic grievances leading to continued appeal of Communism. Q5: “The policy of assimilation was decidedly counter-productive for the formation of national unity.” Discuss. Topic: National Unity Students could examine:- - Short-term impact of policy of assimilation - successful in achieving a measure of national unity. - Long-term impact may be ultimately counter-productive as it led to the alienation of the minorities. - May explain why Thailand changed