Influence of “Art for Life’s Sake” on Isan Writing Production in the B.E. 2490s

Abstract

This article aimed to demonstrate that the concept of “Art for Life’s Sake,” which expanded among progressive intellectuals in Thailand in the 1930s (B.E. 2480) was one of the key ideas used as a framework for writing about the Isan region in the 1940s (B.E. 2490). The core concept of the “Art for Life’s Sake” was to expose the truth to society to aid those who were oppressed and exploited by the state and ruling classes. Therefore, the content and themes found in the writings of the progressive intellectuals in the 1940s focused on presenting the suffering of the people in the Isan region, who were facing a prolonged drought. This was to criticize the effectiveness of the state and the ruling class in addressing the issues and their negligence in solving these problems. Meanwhile, intellectuals aligned with the state and ruling classes produced writings to counterargue, showing that they had never abandoned the people in this region.