In most narratives, the beginning of the oil palm industry in Southeast Asia boils down to entrepreneurial spirit, scientific research, and good fortune. The colonial context in which the industry emerged barely figures in the story. This article argues that colonial power was critical, providing access to land and labour that proved more important than plant selection, capital, or technology. The plantation model pushed the region ahead of Africa as the leading exporter of palm oil by the late 1930s, but its future was in doubt as the Depression and Second World War shattered the colonial order.

中文翻译：

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浅根：东南亚早期的油棕产业，1848-1940

在大多数叙述中，东南亚油棕产业的起源归结为企业家精神、科学研究和好运。该行业出现的殖民背景几乎没有出现在故事​​中。本文认为，殖民权力至关重要，它提供了土地和劳动力，这被证明比植物选择、资本或技术更重要。到 1930 年代后期，种植园模式将该地区推向非洲，成为棕榈油的主要出口国，但随着大萧条和第二次世界大战破坏了殖民秩序，其未来受到质疑。