Chapter 80

           

           Thatsaid,ImustbehonesthereandrelaythatittakesmeonlythreeafternoonsofresearchinthelocallibrarytorealizethatallmyoriginalideasaboutBalineseparadisewereabitmisguided.I’dbeentellingpeoplesinceIfirstvisitedBalitwoyearsagothatthissmallislandwastheworld’sonlytrueutopia,aplacethathasknownonlypeaceandharmonyandbalanceforalltime.AperfectEdenwithnohistoryofviolenceorbloodshedever.I’mnotsurewhereIgotthisgrandidea,butIendorseditwithfullconfidence.

           "Eventhepolicemenwearflowersintheirhair,"Iwouldsay,asifthatprovedit.

           Inreality,though,itturnsoutBalihashadexactlyasbloodyandviolentandoppressiveahistoryasanywhereelseonearthwherehumanbeingshaveeverlived.WhentheJavanesekingsfirstimmigratedhereinthesixteenthcentury,theyessentiallyestablishedafeudalcolony,withastrictcastesystemwhich-likeallself-respectingcastesystems-tendednottotroubleitselfwithconsiderationforthoseatthebottom.TheeconomyofearlyBaliwasfueledbyalucrativeslavetrade(whichnotonlyprecededEuropeanparticipationintheinternationalslavetrafficbyseveralcenturies,butalsooutlivedEurope’straffickingofhumanlivesforagoodlongwhile).Internally,theislandwasconstantlyatwarasrivalkingsstagedattacks(completewithmassrapeandmurder)ontheirneighbors.Untilthelatenineteenthcentury,theBalinesehadareputationamongsttradersandsailorsforbeingviciousfighters.

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