64
ALINE K. WONG
The demands of economic and social survival have driven the Chinese together into tightly-knit communities. To the economic interests of the associations are added the ties of clanship. It is common to find several major clan groups dominating a single district or dialect association. At the same time, the tradition of mutual aid that prevails among the Southern Chinese ethnic groups is carried abroad in the overseas Chinese communities, although many of the rural forms of mutual help and cooperation can no longer apply to the new and largely urban conditions. This has been necessary because in most places, the Chinese people are given no special help from the local government and are not provided with welfare services particularly suited to immigrants, such as accommodation, job information and recreational facilities.
The political function of the voluntary associations has also evolved from the peculiar political situation in which the Chinese people find themselves. In most of the societies in Southeast Asia to which the Chinese have migrated, particularly the countries which were under colonial rule, the governments have traditionally treated the Chinese people as more or less self-contained, integrated and separate communities. In many places, the Chinese have lived under a formalized system of "indirect rule", in which Chinese leaders were appointed officially by the authorities as "kapitans" or leaders and spokesmen for Chinese interests. These "kapitans" were also responsible for communicating official policies to the Chinese. These communal leaders were simultaneously the heads of the predominant voluntary associations. They were often people of considerable wealth and recognized social standing in both the Chinese and host societies. They were very close to the official élite, being usually fluent in the official language and conversant with the culture of the ruling class. In their position, they could effectively act as intermediaries between the authorities and the Chinese.
The Chinese overseas communities have established themselves as tightly-knit ethnic communities. Their members share a common cultural tradition, similar ethnic origins, mutual clanship bonds, and speak the same dialects. Their associational networks have further bound them together through the numerous services they provide. All organizations provide mutual assistance among the Chinese and in so doing weld the diverse social,
64
ALINE K. WONG
The demands of economic and social survival have driven the Chinese together into tightly-knit communities. To the economic interests of the associations are added the ties of clanship. It is common to find several major clan groups dominating a single district or dialect association. At the same time, the tradition of mutual aid that prevails among the Southern Chinese ethnic groups is carried abroad in the overseas Chinese communities, although many of the rural forms of mutual help and cooperation can no longer apply to the new and largely urban conditions. This has been necessary because in most places, the Chinese people are given no special help from the local government and are not provided with welfare services particularly suited to immigrants, such as accommodation, job information and recreational facilities.
The political function of the voluntary associations has also evolved from the peculiar political situation in which the Chinese people find themselves. In most of the societies in Southeast Asia to which the Chinese have migrated, particularly the countries which were under colonial rule, the governments have traditionally treated the Chinese people as more or less self-contained, in- tegrated and separate communities. In many places, the Chinese have lived under a formalized system of "indirect rule”, in which Chinese leaders were appointed officially by the authorities as "kapitans" or leaders and spokesmen for Chinese interests. These "kapitans" were also responsible for communicating official poli- cies to the Chinese. These communal leaders were simultaneously the heads of the predominant voluntary associations. They were often people of considerable wealth and recognized social standing in both the Chinese and host societies. They were very close to the official élite, being usually fluent in the official language and conversant with the culture of the ruling class. In their position, they could effectively act as intermediaries between the authorities and the Chinese.
The Chinese overseas communities have established themselves as tightly-knit ethnic communities. Their members share a com- mon cultural tradition, similar ethnic origins, mutual clanship bonds, and speak the same dialects. Their associational networks have further bound them together through the numerous services they provide. All organizations provide mutual assistance among the Chinese and in so doing weld the diverse social,
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