How similar were the reasons that encouraged the French, the Dutch and the British to colonise areas in Southeast Asia? Explain your answer. [12]

Introduction:
The reasons that prompted the Europeans to colonise areas in Southeast Asia could usually be classified under economic, cultural and external pressure. However, different European powers might have place different priorities on the various reasons.

Main Body:
One of the common reasons the three European powers had was economic. Trade was one of the primary motives. The French always believed that there could be a trade route to China via the Mekong River and therefore, control of Vietnam was critical. The Dutch also wanted to protect the spice trade which had always been profitable to them. For the British, they needed a base in Malaya to protect their China trade. Other economic benefits were also considered by the three European powers. The French believed Vietnam could provide raw materials such as iron and zinc. For the Dutch, the abundant areas in Indonesia meant that the growing of cash crops could be a profitable business. For the British, the tin mines in Malaya would be a great source of raw materials for Vritish industries.

External pressure was also a common reason for the three European powers to colonise areas in Southeast Asia. The French had lost all their colonies after the Napoleonic Wars. In order to restore their glory, they needed to gain new colonies to challenge British supremacy again. For the Dutch, British presence in maritime Southeast Asia was a threat, especially when James Brooke started to acquire Borneo territories for the British. This prompted the Dutch to extend their control over areas beyond Java. For the British, they were pressured into interfering in Malaya in order to restore peace and stability. This was critical in protecting British trade and businesses.

However, the desire to spread their own culture differed among the three European powers. The French was most interested in spreading French culture. There was a strong sense of mission in developing the people in Southeast Asia by introducing French culture. The most obvious attempt to introduce French culture was the enthusiastic attempt to convert Vietnamese to Catholicism. Despite persecution from the Vietnamese, French missionaries continued to spread Catholicism in Vietnam. For the British and the Dutch, little attempt was made to impose their culture on their colonies. As long as British and Dutch interests were not negatively affected, both of them were more prepared to respect local culture. This was most evident when both the British and the Dutch preferred to introduce indirect rule instead of direct rule.