Malcolm Caldwell
Encyclopedia
James Alexander Malcolm Caldwell (27 September 1931 – 23 December 1978) was a British academic and a prolific Marxist writer. He was a consistent critic of American imperialism
, a campaigner for Asia
n communist liberation
and socialist movements, and a strong supporter of Pol Pot
. Despite his vocal support for the Kampuchean
revolution and Pol Pot's regime, support which only increased after visiting the country, Malcolm Caldwell was murdered, supposedly on the orders of Pol Pot, a few hours after meeting him, in 1978.
Malcolm Caldwell was born in Scotland
, the son of a coal miner. He obtained degrees from University of Nottingham
and University of Edinburgh
. He did two years' national service
in the British army
, becoming a sergeant in the Army Education Corps. In 1959 he joined the School of Oriental and African Studies
at the University of London
as a Research Fellow. Although he met with conservative opposition within the School, he remained on its faculty throughout his life. As well as being an academic, he was an energetic and committed radical political activist. He was dedicated to criticising Western imperialism and American capitalist imperialism in particular. He was a founding editor of the Journal of Contemporary Asia
, a journal concerned with revolutionary movements in Asia. In 1978 Caldwell was one of the Labour Party
candidates in St Mary's ward in local elections in Sidcup, Bexley
.
Caldwell was sympathetic to the Khmer Rouge
. Along with Elizabeth Becker
and Richard Dudman
, he was part of the first group of Westerners invited to visit Cambodia
since the Khmer Rouge closed the country. They were given 10-day structured tours of the country and a private audience with Pol Pot
, experiences that apparently only intensified Caldwell's support for the regime. He was murdered on the orders of Pol Pot, in circumstances that remain unexplained, on the eve of the Vietnam
ese invasion in Phnom Penh
, Cambodia in 1978. He was one of two British people who were killed in Cambodia alongside John Dawson Dewhirst
.
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
, a campaigner for Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n communist liberation
Liberation movement
A liberation movement is an organization leading a rebellion against a colonial power or national government, often seeking independence based on a nationalist identity and an anti-imperialist outlook.-See also:*Anti-imperialism...
and socialist movements, and a strong supporter of Pol Pot
Pol Pot
Saloth Sar , better known as Pol Pot, , was a Cambodian Maoist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge from 1963 until his death in 1998. From 1976 to 1979, he served as the Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea....
. Despite his vocal support for the Kampuchean
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
revolution and Pol Pot's regime, support which only increased after visiting the country, Malcolm Caldwell was murdered, supposedly on the orders of Pol Pot, a few hours after meeting him, in 1978.
Malcolm Caldwell was born in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the son of a coal miner. He obtained degrees from University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
and University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
. He did two years' national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, becoming a sergeant in the Army Education Corps. In 1959 he joined the School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
as a Research Fellow. Although he met with conservative opposition within the School, he remained on its faculty throughout his life. As well as being an academic, he was an energetic and committed radical political activist. He was dedicated to criticising Western imperialism and American capitalist imperialism in particular. He was a founding editor of the Journal of Contemporary Asia
Journal of Contemporary Asia
The Journal of Contemporary Asia is a peer-reviewed academic journal in the field of Asian studies. It was established in 1970 and is published quarterly by Routledge...
, a journal concerned with revolutionary movements in Asia. In 1978 Caldwell was one of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
candidates in St Mary's ward in local elections in Sidcup, Bexley
London Borough of Bexley
The London Borough of Bexley lies in south east Greater London, and is a borough referred to as part of Outer London. It has common borders with the London Borough of Bromley to the south, the London Borough of Greenwich to the west, across the River Thames to the north it borders the London...
.
Caldwell was sympathetic to the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
. Along with Elizabeth Becker
Elizabeth Becker
Elizabeth Becker is a journalist and author who specializes in trade, development, and Asian affairs.Becker began her career as a war correspondent for The Washington Post covering Cambodia. She left Cambodia when the Khmer Rouge expelled all foreigners from the country in April 1975...
and Richard Dudman
Richard Dudman
Richard Dudman is an American journalist who covered the Congress of Racial Equality and serviced as chief of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Washington bureau, which landed him on the master list of Nixon political opponents....
, he was part of the first group of Westerners invited to visit Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
since the Khmer Rouge closed the country. They were given 10-day structured tours of the country and a private audience with Pol Pot
Pol Pot
Saloth Sar , better known as Pol Pot, , was a Cambodian Maoist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge from 1963 until his death in 1998. From 1976 to 1979, he served as the Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea....
, experiences that apparently only intensified Caldwell's support for the regime. He was murdered on the orders of Pol Pot, in circumstances that remain unexplained, on the eve of the Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese invasion in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
, Cambodia in 1978. He was one of two British people who were killed in Cambodia alongside John Dawson Dewhirst
John Dawson Dewhirst
John Dawson Dewhirst was a British teacher and amateur yachtsman who was one of nine western adventurers that fell victim of the Khmer Rouge during the genocidal rule of Pol Pot. Dewhirst was one of two Britons to die in Pol Pot's Cambodia....
.
Works
External links
- An account of the night Caldwell was killed excerpted from Becker's When the War was Over
- Andrew Anthony "Lost in Cambodia", The Observer, 10 January 2010
- Michael Ezra "Malcolm Caldwell: Pol Pot's Apologist", Democratiya, #16, Spring/Summer 2009 (.pdf)