“The measures taken by the French to control the spread of Bubonic plague in Hanoi created a serious problem.” Explain the statement.
The measures taken by the French to control the spread of bubonic plague in Hanoi wfere as mentioned below : A rat hunt was started in 1902. The French hired Vietnamese workers and were paid for each rat they caught. Bounty was paid when a tail was given as proof of killing a rat. Results : Thousands of rats were caught. Vietnamese got a lesson in the success of collective bargaining because they came together and successfully negotiated with the government for a higher bounty. The rat-catchers discovered new ways to earn more profit, such as clipping the tails of the rats and raising of rats to earn money. This led to scrapping of the bounty programme. The spread of plague became a serious problem. It swept through the area in 1903 and the subsequent years. Results and importance : The rat menace marks the limits of French power and contradictions in their ‘civilising mission’. The actions of the rat-catchers tell us of the numerous small ways in which colonialism was fought in everyday life.
