International Treaties : The Foundations of Colonial Rule in Southeast Asia

From the early 17th to the mid-20th century,international treaties were a key instrument ofimperialism in Asia and elsewhere, providing the legaland moral justification for European colonial rule anddomination. Among the regions of the world that wereaffected by Western imperialism, Southeast Asia standsout for its long history of prolific treaty-making betweenindigenous rulers and colonial powers. In recent years,researchers have begun to explore many hithertounknown facets of this history, thereby throwingnew light on how colonial rule was established andimplemented through a myriad of treaties and otherwritten agreements