◆ SpookStack

rr ere a ea NEED FOR SOCIOECONOMIC CHANGE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA , 23 religious minorities who fee] themscives oppressed under the status ~ quo, The peasantry, although a numerical majority, has heretofore lived in a state of tradition-bound political apathy and local isola- tion. When conditions became intolerable, it was capable of reac- tion in the form of local riots but was rarely able to mount an organized mass movement with broad political and social pro- grams. Now, however, the situation is changing. With the great advance in communications, the peasantry is becoming more aware of the world around it, the possibilities of political action, and par- ticularly the power of organization. The demand of these people for change makes them sympathetic to revolutionary programs; programs that promise the social services and material goods that signify a fuller, more comfortable life. The lesson of organization for such programs is usually provided by those most interested in mass revolutionary change on the peasant level, i.¢., Communist or non-Communist left-wing groups. It is important to point out that these groups, although they receive moral support from some Communist countries, derive their basic support from peasant and worker discontent and are led primarily by idealistic intellectuals from the middle class, Thus, as the existing national governments come under increas- ing pressure from their people to institute socioeconomic reforms, change will be inevitable. And since the need has already reached A critical point in most of these countries, only a stable, highly organized government with strong powers seems to be capable of carrying out such reforms. In some places this power may take the form of a left-wing or even Communist government. But this does not necessarily mean that a militantly anti-American bloc will emerge. Surely a major factor is the attitude of the United States toward these new regimes. By pursuing a two-pronged policy which, on the one hand, claims to seck peace, stability, and progress for the area but which, on the other hand, has as its overriding concern the stopping of Communism, the United States is usually obliged to support those committed to maintaining the status quo, thus almost assuring the very kind of violent and anti- American revolution that it most seeks to prevent. On the other hand, if the United States, recognizing the in- evitability of change and the natural development of a socio-