LAOS HISTORY BY EUROPEAN DOCUMENTS

Abstract

This research aims to study Laos politic, economic, and society from western witness – European documents – in the 17^th and 19^th centuries. The data in this research was collected from primary sources only, before it was analyed and synthesized by historical methodology.

The result suggested that in the 17^th century, Laos politic was explicitly controlled by the absolute power of the king, of whom authority was shared to his nobles for governmental responsibilities. Diplomacy was also promoted hand in hand with state relationship with neighbouring kingdoms, specifically Siam, Cambodia and Vietnam. Such a political structure had been preserved even when the country became a vassal state of Siam in the following century – thanks to the indirect rule system. However, Laos inevitably confronted menaces to its political power and stability in the 19^th century: Haw Bandits and French Colonization. Throughout the period researched Laos economic mainly relied on agriculture, fishery, foraging, trading, and tributary system, which clang on its local natural resources. Laos economic prospered the most in the 17^th century before showing decline by the following century. Nevertheless, Laos had remained a significant merchandise supplier as well as a big market in the region until the last century in the study. In addition, throughout the 17^th to 19^th centuries, hierarchical society in Laos was instituted on such economic as well as belief in ghost and Buddhist religion, the major influence on the local tradition, art and culture. The faith played an important role in social mechanism of Laos society, composing of particular ethnical diversity.