Politicization of Ocean Space

Saiful Anwar Matondang

Asian Studies -The University of Hawaii Manoa

The politicization of ocean space is the political claims of Europeans and their attempts to control and regulate access to the high seas. The Politicization of ocean space, controlling the world’s oceans by European states that has occurred since 1450 until today (postcolonial era) remain a critical component of continued European dominance (Mancke, 1999). The politicization of the ocean space shows the imperial expansion in which a system that makes one country controls other countries, often after defeating them. With the politicization of ocean, European oceanic expansion was different from Austronesians who had settled islands stretching from Rapa Nui to Madagascar. Asians had no intention to make political ties for empire building, however, Europeans’ transoceanic political claims and their attempts to control and regulate access to the high seas was the early model of expansion. Ocean space is a central of imperial struggle shows the competition of oceanic control among the European countries and also the United States is to maintain the commercial, military, and power as well as scientific facilities.

The extended polities of maritime ventures show the fact of imperial power (expansion). A powerful country tends to increase its influence over other countries through trade, business, and culture. Mancke (1999:234) says that the contest for control ocean space has not disappeared, nor has the neo-European dominance of the oceans ended. Mancke describes three broad implications of the oceanic dimensions of European imperialism; the creation of a new kind of empire, the centrality of ocean control outside Europe, and the reconfiguration of international relations. In discussing territorial acquisitions, following Symcox, Chaudhuri, and Pearson, Mancke finds that the oceanic- based empire was different from the ancient land-based one (pressing the weak areas and annexing territory and people). If the land based empire only tended to use the rivers, in land roads transportation and troops with horses, the ocean based empire took the seaborne and built ports to collect commodities from uplands. The land based empire took a longer time to control the weak areas than the ocean based model did. The oceanic expansion of European imperialism opened up new opportunities for weaker polities to realign the balance of power within Europe and with its Muslim neighbors, achieved as much control of the maritime environment as with territorial acquisitions in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

Pearson‘s study on the Indian ocean describes the connectivity of Indian ocean and its impact on cultures and ideology of many countries knitted together with its diverse community (Pearson,2003). Pearson’s book explains that the British imperial power created an interlocking system among the ports, like Singapore, Mumbai, Aden and Cape Town that made 63 % of world sailed under the British flag in 1890. By citing Pope’s idea, Pearson says that the British Imperial expanded commercial relations by connecting Indian Ocean with the world. The British power in 1700 was backed up by an arm and state. As mentioned in Pearson’s writing, the history of the ocean over the last 250 years was dominated by naval power. We are introduced to the British power in Indian Ocean. It was very significant; a series of vital ports were taken, created and controlled by British. A connection between India and Sydney Australia was established in 1793, and followed by the ports constructing; Singapore (1819), Mauritius (1840), and Hong Kong (1842). Those ports made the British power possible to strengthen its link to slaves market in West Africa, seal furs in Guangzhou, and cowry shells in Seychellas (Pearson, 2003: 195).

Both Mancke and Pearson recount the failure of Portuguese claim over Indian Ocean and South China Sea which resulting the reactions from the Ming in Chine, the Ottomans, and the Sultan of Acehnese. Subsequently, those two authors explain the way of British and Dutch politicized Asian ocean space. The presence of the British navy in the Indian Ocean marked a new stage in the politicization of Asian ocean. The Dutch established Batavia (Jakarta) as the heavily fortified commercial center in 1619 that made Japanese stopping its trade relation to the Portuguese and linked to the Dutch in 1634.But in eighteen century, the Netherlands made a wrong decision on the commercial beneficiaries from Asia. The Dutch power was declining and the British Empire in Asia replaced the Dutch.

References

Mancke, E. “Early Modern Expansion and the Politicization of Ocean Space”.Geographical Review 89, no 2(1999), 225-236.

Pearson, M. The Indian Ocean. London/New York: Routledge, 2003. Ch. 7. Britain and the Ocean. Pp.190-197.