French in Cambodia
One year after Sisowath was crowned, Battambang and Siem Reap provinces were returned to Cambodia in April 1907. These two provinces, together with the temples of Angkor, had belonged to
Thailand since 1794, so this was a very great moment in the history of Cambodia.
Under Sisowath (1904-1927) and Monivong (1927-1941), Cambodia seemed peaceful, but actually France was no charity and paid for their administration and development projects from taxes imposed on the population. Although people weren't happy with this situation, actual signs of this were rare. In fact, if thousands of farmers from all over the country hadn't asked Sisowath to reduce taxes in 1916 or Bardez, a senior French officer, hadn't been killed while collecting taxes in 1925, we wouldn't have known the extent of the people's suffering.
Again, if these taxes, collected mostly from poor farmers by force, had been used to help them, they probably wouldn't have minded so much. But most of them were used to keep the king happy in his palace and develop towns like Phnom Penh and Battambang, which were connected by rail between 1923 and 1932. Only a minimum amount was used to develop education, health or bring much needed improvements to poor rural areas.
Another great moment, however, came to Cambodia in 1953 and we may imagine how happy and hopeful the general population were at the prospect of independence from France brought about by His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk.
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