在国家与帮权之间:社会政治空间下怡和轩俱乐部的功能转型 = Between the state and the power of "PANG" : The EE Hoe Hean Club within the social political space

Abstract

In the history of Singapore?s overseas Chinese community, the social political environment, including the social structure of Pang, as well as the political influence from both the local and Chinese governments, has had a great influence on overseas Chinese associations. The dissertation focuses on the history of a local Chinese Club, Ee Hoe Hean Club, to analyze how the social political environment has influenced the functional evolution of an association. Since its establishment in 1895, Ee Hoe Hean has transformed from a typical entertainment venue into a nationalist movement center, before changing back into a entertainment place as the social environment evolved. Throughout its developing process, the social structure of Pang was the key that determined the organizational mechanism of the association and the decision-making model of its leaders; the Chinese government was its significant pillar of support before World War II, and the early post war period; the attitude and policies of the local government towards the Chinese associations were always the basis of their functioning.