Virginia Boucher

Cindy Rouzer

Soc1DE1

Las Positas College

26 May, 2006

Politics

The politics of Hawaii have taken some interesting turns through its history.  In the beginning, a powerful chief would claim some segment of land his and he would defend it with his loyal followers until someone with greater strength took it from him.  Later, there were chiefs who held whole islands as their own and they divided up the land amongst those they favored… until someone stronger came along.  Eventually, there was Kamehameha who united all the Islands under his rule by battle and by diplomacy.  From Kamehameha I came the Royal Family of Hawaii.  Upon the  death of his oldest son (Kamehameha II), the throne passed to his youngest son who was known as Kamehameha III. 

This son had many differences of opinion with the missionaries and was quite public in his disregard for their Christian teachings and rules.  He lifted the penalties for adultery and, following ancient tradition, slept with his sister.  He was also a saloon keeper and was instrumental in bringing back the hula (banned by the missionaries because of its “obscene” movements and paganist messages).  However, his actions caused great consternation amongst the other high status Hawaiians who’d converted to Christianity.  They demanded that he renounce his evil ways and return to the values taught by the missionaries. He took this criticism as repudiation of his authority as king and adopted an uncaring attitude about affairs of state. (Barnes, 44).    

This development set up a chain of events that shifted the balance of power to foreigners (particularly the missionaries).  The shift permitted the acquisition of land by foreigners by a means other than marriage for the first time.  What followed was a land and power grab that left the native Hawaiians as a landless people and soon one without a monarchy.

 There was a movement by a politically and economically powerful group of American island residents to annex Hawaii into the US.  Through use of political clout and subversive tactics they enacted a bloodless coup (through the unauthorized use of four boatloads of armed troops from the U.S.S. Boston).  Upon the threat of the troops, the reigning Queen resigned and a provisional government, led by the Americans, was put in place in 1893.

When President Cleveland had the situation investigated, he addressed Congress to express his displeasure and rejection for the annexation bid: 

…By an act of war, committed with the participation of a diplomatic representative of the United States and without authority from Congress, the Government of a feeble but friendly and confiding people has been overthrown.  A substantial wrong has thus been done… 

The provisional government decided to bide their time until Cleveland was no longer in office to try again.  In the meantime, they began the process of drafting a new constitution for the new Republic of Hawaii that would be favorable to their interests and plans.  As a result of this, the new government posts were occupied primarily (70%) by descendents of the Christian missionaries who’d first landed in the islands 70 years earlier.

Five years after the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, President McKinley signed a congressionally approved resolution making Hawaii a US territory.

Territorial government and laws are not the same as for a State.  The big business concerns still held sway over the decision making and leadership in Hawaii.  One of the elements that delayed statehood for many years was the multiethnic population of Hawaii.  The US government in that time, particularly the Southern representation, was still very biased toward whites and against any other racial background.

Statehood eventually happened in 1959.  The winds of change were gusting in the aftermath of WW II.  Many native Hawaiians had served with distinction and as veterans, attended college under the GI Bill.  These better educated people were not willing to settle for the second-class citizenship and began to make their strength known through civil rights actions.

In closure of this topic, it should be known that there is a sovereignty movement alive and well in our 50^th State.  There are those who would secede from the US and restore Hawaii to the status of a Republic. 

To examine the politics of Hawaii through the lens of sociology, let’s first look at the obvious perspective of Conflict.  Politics are based on power.  Economic power and the control of scarce resources can be attributed to those called the Big Five who controlled the businesses in Hawaii.  These same people were descended from the missionary powerbase.  They used the power they already had to set up a system where it would not be wrested from them.

From a Functionalist perspective, the people of Hawaii needed leadership, as do all cultures.  When the monarchy weakened to the point of ignoring affairs of state and accepted the advice from the big business contingent, there was a void and the Big Five stepped (or stampeded) to fill that void.

From the Interactionist point, the symbols of power are money and influence.  The Monarchy liked to showcase the money with finery and parties, but didn’t use their influence to retain power.