From Rice Fields to Killing Fields: Nature, Life, and Labor under the Khmer Rouge

271 Pages·2017·15.588 MB·English

by  James A. Tyner

FROM RICE FIELDS TO KILLING FIELDS
Syracuse Studies in Geography
Don Mitchell, Tom Perreault, and Robert Wilson, Series Advisers
director’s choice
Our Director’s Choice program is an oppor-
tunity to highlight a book from our list that
deserves special attention. James Tyner dem-
onstrates how Democratic Kampuchea pro-
vides a remarkable case study for geographers
and other social scientists to gain insight into
relations of production, consumption, and
violence. I am delighted to add this impor-
tant book to our list and hereby reiterate our
strong commitment to publishing in the social
sciences.
Alice Randel Pfeiffer
Director, Syracuse University Press
FROM RICE FIELDS
Nature, Life, and Labor under the Khmer Rouge
TO KILLING FIELDS
J A M E S A . T Y N E R
Syracuse University Press
Copyright © 2017 by Syracuse University Press
Syracuse, New York 13244-5290
All Rights Reserved
First Edition 2017
17 18 19 20 21 22 6 5 4 3 2 1
∞ The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements
of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence
of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992.
For a listing of books published and distributed by Syracuse University Press,
visit www.SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu.
ISBN: 978-0-8156-3556-7 (hardcover)
978-0-8156-3541-3 (paperback)
978-0-8156-5422-3 (e-book)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Tyner, James A., 1966– author.
Title: From rice fields to killing fields : nature, life, and labor under the Khmer Rouge / James A. Tyner.
Description: First edition. | [Syracuse, New York] : Syracuse University Press, 2017. |
Series: Syracuse studies in geography | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017030992 (print) | LCCN 2017032597 (ebook) |
ISBN 9780815654223 (e-book) | ISBN 9780815635567 | ISBN 9780815635567 (hardcover : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9780815635413 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780815654223 (e-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Cambodia—Politics and government—1975-1979. | Parti communiste du
Kampuchea. | Communism—Cambodia. | Political violence—Cambodia—History—20th century.
Classification: LCC DS554.8 (ebook) | LCC DS554.8 .T95 2017 (print) | DDC 959.604/2—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017030992
Manufactured in the United States of America
To the memory of those who died,
and to those who continue to endure
the legacy of war in Cambodia

Contents
List of Illustrations ix
•
Preface xi
•
Acknowledgments xxiii
•
1. A Critique of Khmer Rouge Political Economy 1
•
2. Revolution 20
•
3. Reconstruction 59
•
4. Production 98
•
5. Manufacturing Indifference 135
•
6. Abolishment and Reproduction 160
•
7. Dead Labor 187
•
Notes 199
•
Bibliography 223
•
Index 237
•

Illustrations
1. President Richard Nixon 52
•
2. Map of American bombing of Cambodia 54
•
3. CPK leaders riding on a train 81
•
4. Provincial and zone-level boundaries 87
•
5. Forced laborers constructing irrigation canal 109
•
6. Khmer Rouge cadre harvesting rice 115
•
7. Khmer Rouge cadre threshing rice 127
•
8. Khmer Rouge women’s unit collecting rice 128
•
9. Khmer Rouge children learning about harvesting 133
•
10. Ieng Thirith visiting forced-labor camp 155
•
11. A Khmer Rouge wedding 163
•
ix