This book tells the story of the poor and disaffected underclass in colonial Singapore. They were caught in a vicious circle of poverty, with little access to education, credit, and other means of generating income. The poor organized themselves and fought for the assets they needed to increase future income.Standing between them and their goals was the way the British governed the colony. Sometimes they deferred to colonial policies. At other times they displayed defiance, rioting against the government.After the Second World War, they started a communist insurgency, believing that it was their chance to rise from poverty by building a world where all could begin on a more equal footing.