How did The Local People Respond to British Rule After World War II?

Chapter 7Part 1

Overview of Chapter 7

Part 1Living Conditions

after the War

Part 2 Maria Hertogh and

Anti-NS riots

Part 3Rendel Constitution

& 1955 Election

Living Conditions after the War

Q1What was post-

war conditions like in Singapore?

Q2How did post-war conditions affect

the response of the local people under

British rule?

Q3How did the British

respond to the strikes and

changing attitudes of the local people?

12th Sept 1945Singapore

Surrender of Japan

Welcome of British

What was post-war conditions like in Singapore?

Here are rows and rows of back-to-back houses crammed to the physical limit. Conditions are bad. Rooms contained several separate families. Those who cannot share rooms live underneath stairways or in cubicles which are in complete darkness at all hours of the day and without direct contact with sunlight.

“”

Here are rows and rows of back-to-back houses crammed to the physical limit. Conditions are bad. Rooms contained several separate families. Those who cannot share rooms live underneath stairways or in cubicles which are in complete darkness at all hours of the day and without direct contact with sunlight.

“”

Post-War Living Conditions

Shortage of food Shortage of Housing

Shortage of Water and Utilities

Unemployment

“Many houses have but one water-tap for the whole house and all the inmates share one bucket-type latrine. The dirt and stench are appalling.”

How did post-war conditionsaffect the response of the local

people under British rule?

With the Japanese

Occupation, the people no

longer regarded the British as

superior.

Felt that it was time for local people to run the country.

Many countries around

Singapore that were under

colonial rule had gained

independence.

Change in People’s Attitude

Change in People’s attitude

Textbook, pg 134

… who went through the Second World War…and came out determined that no one – neither the Japanese nor the British – had the right to push and kick usaround … we saw for ourselves that the local people could run thecountry .

India, a former British colony, gained independence in 1947.

Change in People’s attitude

Mahatma Gandhi

Strikes&

Riots

The difficult living conditions explained why there were waves of strikes and work stoppages by thousands of workers from the port, factories, transport and business companies after 1945

Strikes

Strikes took place so often in 1947 that it was remembered as ‘The Year of Strikes’

More than 300 strikes were organized by 70,000 people in that year alone.

These strikes became worse with the involvement of the MCP- Malayan Communist Party.

The communistsstirred up people’s feelings by blamingthe British for all the post-war problems.

The communists formed tradeunions and encouraged people to join

They are able to influence people to go on strikes.

A riot is a form of civil disorder characterised often by what is thought of as disorganised groups lashing out in a sudden against authority, property or people.

Riots

To be continued in Part 2

Two major riots in the 1950s1. The Maria Hertogh riots2. Anti-National Service riots

How did the British respond to the strikes and the changing attitudes of the local people?

Initially

The British had no intention to

give up complete

control over Singapore

However, they knew some

powers would have to be

transferred to the people

To win thesupport of the people, the British decided to introduce changes gradually• First minor change:

The first electionswas introduced in 1948

Elections were introduced for the first time.

British allowed a few localsto be elected into the Legislative council.

1948The 1948 elections was the

first step towards

democracy.

A Problem

It was a low-keyevent.

Not all eligiblevoters took part in the election.

Why did the 1948 election have

poor attendance?

Many people were not eligible to vote

as only those born in Singapore could vote.

It was not compulsory.

Singapore Progressive

Party (SPP)

The Singapore Progressive Party (SPP) was the only party which took part in the 1948 election.

Out of a total of

6 seats in the Legislative Council

Won by the Singapore

Progressive Party

Won by the Independents

The SPP worked closely with the British in the Legislative Council.refer to TB pg 136, 137.

Singapore Progressive

Party(SPP)

Equal treatment for both local and European civil servants.

Proposed a financial security scheme for retired workers (CPF).

BUT

SPP was not popular among the Chinese educated locals.

Why?

SPP was made up of English-

educatedmembers.

They are pro-British and believed in

gradual self-government.

SPP failed to put pressure on

the British government for more changes.

The British realised that the MCP was the main culprit in organising strikesthrough the trade unions and created disorder in the society.

1947Thus, they passedlaws to control the activities of trade unions.

These laws required all the trade unions to register with the government from 1947 onwards.

With this measure, the British could ensure that the unions did not support the communists.

Singapore Shell Employees Union

United Worker of Petroleum Industry

National Trades Union Congress

Summary

Q1 What was post-war conditions like in Singapore?

Living conditions were difficult.

Part 1 – Living Conditions after the War

Q2 How did post-war conditions affect the response of the local people under British rule?

Change in People’s attitude towards the British

Strikes and Riots

Q3 How did the British respond to the strikes and changing attitudes of the local people?

First election introduced in 1948

•British allowed a few locals to be elected into the Legislative council

Passed law to control the activities of trade unions

•Ensure that the unions did not support the communists

But,

have the problems been solved?

Though the British allowed a small degree of self-government with the introduction of the 1948 elections, people still faced social & economic problems in the 1950s.

In the 1950s, two major riots took place in Singapore that clearly expressed anti-British feelings.

1. The Maria Hertogh riots2. Anti-National Service

riots

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