Climate Actor, Flood, Drought and the Economic Crisis, in Relation with the Siamese Revolution of 1932

Abstract

In the past, studying history was put forward by descriptive analysis, in which humans functioned as a main player of history, or in another words, humans played a major role in narrating history. This article however aims to argue that the main player, who caused the Siamese Revolution of 1932, is not human but climate varibility. Heavy rain, flood, drought, dry weather could be seen as starting point of what happened later, such as the event, that agricultural products, especially rice, were severely damaged. This event could lead to economic crisis in the 1927s, which came in the same time as Siam was affected by world economic crisis. The economic crisis could lead to political crisis of Siamese absolute monarchy, where bureaucratic structure stood on feudal relationship. The promotion in this kind of relationship relied on one’s birth, not on his ability or performance in the office, and this should be the main reason, why Siam couldn’t – as her citizens had wished- respond timely to the crisis. The feeling of despair and tediousness just began to spread all over the Siamese society, so that this led to the democratic revolution, that would allow people to participate in how the country should be governed. This is reflected in farmer’s - as well as- middle class’s petitions, that had been previously sent to their overlords.