Economic decline
In 1950s, Cambodia was among the most advanced economies in Southeast Asia. After the Khmer Rouge regime, the country became one of the poorest nations in the world. This was because of the corrupted ideology, the Khmer Rouge wanted to implement communism in a developing country. The regime was to build an equal Cambodia. Yet, they decided to kill all the educated factor of the nation. Rather than helping the country's economy grow, the result of Khmer Rouge's regime was to create great hinderance to the economy and a large massacre. The economic decline eventually led the country to extreme poverty. Even though Cambodia receives many benefits from the international community, and that the government are implementing low income, import and export tax on the country, for Cambodia to overcome poverty fully, will be extremely challenging.
Lost Generation effect #1
At least 3 million people died during the genocide. Some were executed, some other died of starvation, exhaustion or diseases from the forced labour that the Khmer Rouge implemented. This left a heavy impact even in current Cambodia. The elders who survived the genocide, their children are most likely to not be as lucky. In Asian culture, you are to be responsible and take care of your parents when they are no longer able to support themselves. The tradition and lifestyle has been prolonged for generations as unlike Western culture, retirement communities or nursing homes are not widely available. Because of the poverty already occurring in Cambodia, the government will face the challenge of establishing elderly support systems in Cambodia. A large population of young generations have been eliminated in the genocide, and the parents who outlived this population will eventually be unable to support themselves. This leads to the dramatic increase of homeless elder people.
Lost generation effect #2
Under the Khmer Rouge, especially during Year Zero, Pol Pot demanded that Cambodia must return to an agrarian, non-industrialized nation without any advanced technology at all. Pol Pot, and the Khmer Rouge members eliminated the intellect sector, including artisans, economists, professors, doctors, teachers, lawyers, artists, mechanics, historian, anyone that received proper education posed as a threat to the regime, and were brutally executed. This served the purpose of preventing anyone to unionize and revolt the Khmer Rouge regime.
This is a hinderance to modern-day Cambodia, there are not enough experienced, educated professionals in the workplace to encourage and manage the rising intellectuals. CIA World Factbook of 2016 quoted: “The major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia’s demographic imbalance.” Less intellects means that the more demanding jobs are less available, younger Cambodians are more likely to employ themselves in garment industries. Garment industries will provide financial support for these Cambodians, but does not motivate the people to innovate and improve, but rather to perpetuate the cycle of poverty existing in the country.
Loss of culture
Religious or cultural infrastructures are demolished during the genocide. This was one of the many ways the regime used to control its people and to remove individuality, but to focus on the community growth. Artisans, artists, musicians who are qualified and possessed a strong knowledge of ancient Khmer culture were also executed. Written records and evidence of culture in Cambodia during that time were demolished as well. There are only small pieces of knowledge that are told by the people who survived left. These pieces of history and culture like songs, art pieces and artisan from this period will never be retrieved.