Asia Essential Topics
By Aaryan, Kate, Lainey, Marco
China’s rise economically and growing influence around the world
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Natural progression, cheaper labor there so US companies get things made over there. product is cheaper. (computers, cell phones) this creates a stronger bond with them considering how much we rely on them for certain products.
Economy is growing much faster than anywhere else in the world except possibly India.
Major environmental issues not being regulated (pollution).
Hinduism Vs Buddhism
Kashmir Conflict
What?
The Kashmir conflict is a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir region, the northwestern most region of South Asia.
When?
1846-1947
Why?
In 1947 Lord Mountbatten divided British India into two countries, India and Pakistan, largely on religious grounds. Kashmir had Sikh rulers and Muslim ordinary people so there was no obvious place it should go. The rulers opted to join India when most of the population would have chosen Pakistan. Pakistan and India both claimed the place. They have been arguing ever since.
The Caste System
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- a process of placing people in occupational groups
- controls what job they may have and who they may interact with
- rooted in Hindu religion
- Nomadic warriors (Aryans) came to northern India in 1500BC
- They conquered natives and expanded into subcontinent
- Aryans discovered iron ore in Ganges River Valley- 1000BC
- Used it to build plows (for crops) and construct weapons.
- Used the weapons to control the native people and “impose a rigid social structure called the caste system”
- People of castes only did things/interacted within their own caste. Once someone was born into their caste they hardly ever mixed with members of other castes or changed castes.
- 4 main classes in the system, called varnas.
- Brahmana or Brahmin: includes priests, teachers, judges who could read the ancient Indian spiritual laws that governed the universe (Dharma).
- Kshatriya: Conduct public service, including administration, keeping of law and order, and defense. They were the warriors and ran the government, making everyday decisions (but could be overruled by the Brahmin).
- Vaishya: Engage in commercial activity as businessmen. Used to be farmers and merchants.
- Shudra: Not as skilled laborers. Typically work on the farm of someone of a higher caste.
- “Outcastes”= foreigners, lawbreakers, people with contagious diseases or from isolated tribes
- They were not “suitable” for having relations with people of a caste, and held unwanted jobs.
- Also called the Untouchables. Refer to themselves as the Dalit which means “oppressed”.
- Many live in poverty, with fewer chances for education and employment.
- The jobs that they do get are “polluted jobs” involved with wastes or killing.
- Caste members were vegetarians. People who are fish or meat were not accepted into the caste society.
- Currently, foreigners are not expected to act differently towards different castes
China’s 1 child per famiy policy
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- China’s one child policy restricts all families to one child and if gone over the limit, abortions or some sort of absence of the child will take place.
- Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping established this policy in 1979 to limit China's population growth.
- The policy is set up for the Chinese living in urban areas; the rule does not apply to lower social status of rural areas.
- If the couple has no siblings, then the couple can have two children so it can avoid dramatic population decrease.
- 2006 that China's one child policy is consistent with the nation's plan for population growth and would continue until said otherwise.
- China's sex ratio at birth is more imbalanced than the global average. There are about 113 boys born in China for every 100 girls.
- To have a second child, you usually have to wait from three to four years after the birth of the first child
- China is expected to decrease in population by negative 5%.
- Squads had rounded up 17,000 women and made them sterilize and have abortions during Bobai County riot
Conflict between North and South Korea
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- In WW’2 Korea was split into the North and South
- Korea was once one whole, under Japanese rule up until WW’2
- This split between 1945 and 1948 led to the Korean War
- The US created South Korea democracy while on the other hand North Korea became Communist along with China
- North Korea then attempted to invade South Korea and try to take over the government and convert into Communist
- North Korea almost won the war, but then the US got involved and fought back and drove them all the way back to China
- That led to China flooding into the Korean territories pushing them back all the way to the 38th parallel north.
- 38th parallel north is the latitude line that marks the “compromise” of the Korean War
- Although there is a split in the two countries, there is major tension occurring today
- In recent news, Kim Jong Un, the dictator of North Korea, has been testing nuclear missiles supposedly in to the ocean. The US is uncertain if this will soon lead to another war of some sort.