Colonial Rationality And The Other: The British In North Borneo

Abstract

This paper describes the relationship between the British and the Natives in North Borneo in the days of the Chartered Company rule. The relationship is one based on power, where the colonialist by default being the more powerful define the Other and by doing so reinforce their rationality on the natives. The process of rationalisation in totality acted to place the native in a position of subordination. The types of rationality are: (i) the moral rationality - founded on the morality of Christianity used as a determinant of proper behaviour by underlining native action and beliefs which are considered non-Christian and by doing so justifying the need for the civilising hand of colonial rule. (ii) The economic rationality - is based on the view of the economic importance of North Borneo as a source of income to their London investors. As such, the introduction of capitalist economy coupled with efficient extraction of natural resources and the proliferation of plantation economy acted to marginalise the natives. The natives not only found their lives burdened with the imposition of the new economy but also their livelihood and survival threatened. (iii) The administrative rationality imposed on the natives of North Borneo was to curb practices such as head hunting, slavery and blood feuding and also to modernise the administration of North Borneo by developing infrastructure, collecting taxes and enforcing British law. The Natives responded to the imposition of colonial rationality by launching a series of rebellions with the hope of ending the encroaching British policies. However their efforts failed and colonial rationality taking hold in North Borneo and forever changing the lives of the natives.