In developing countries, as elsewhere in the world, people living in poverty have to cope with the daily uncertainties of survival and have few options for improving their situation. As a result of the extreme difficulties that they face, they often have low self-esteem, and low levels of confidence, both in themselves and in ethical principles, which they may come to regard as hindering their attempts to eke out a living. In extreme circumstances they are forced to focus on securing the day-to-day survival of themselves and their families, even at the cost of loss of community cohesion. These are conditions that not only perpetuate the poverty cycle, but are also detrimental to the wider society.
 
This relatively widespread situation has been exacerbated in Cambodia by the events of recent history. During the Khmer Rouge period of Democratic Kampuchea (1975-79), the social and ethical values of centuries were systematically destroyed, and people were forced to focus on surviving from one day to the next. Living with such uncertainty for a prolonged period can result in loss of self-confidence and feelings of powerlessness, lack of trust, fear, passivity and lack of motivation.
 
While day-to-day survival was now more assured for a large part of the population than it had been during the war, it often depended on people's ability to wield power, willingness to meekly obey those wielding the power, or ability to buy influence from that group. This came on top of the breakdown in family structures and loss of confidence in religious and ethical values caused by the war. When combined with the effects of long-term trauma, these factors led to increasing levels of alienation, crime and violence, which are still evident in their society. Arguably, contemporary behaviour of a large segment of society reflects attitudes shaped during this long and difficult period.
 
 
One of the resultant behaviours which is of considerable concern is the high level of school dropouts. In 2004 the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport Cambodia reported that while something between 65 and 75 percent of children of primary school age attend school by high school only between 10 and 35 percent are still in school. This means that there are more high school age youths out of school than in school and that a significant proportion of these are dropouts almost similar statistics are for East Timor.
 
This is not just a significant waste of one of the country's most important resources. Such a large body of poor, partly educated, unemployed and disenchanted youth also constitutes a potential social time bomb, the signs of which can already be seen in growing drug use, increasing crime rates and the emergence of street gangs.

Cambodia is bordered by Thailand to the wet and north, Laos on the northeast and Vietnam on the east. In 1954, Cambodia gained its Independence from France. From that year until 1970, the country did very well and became a model of development in the Southeast Asian region. But in 1970, Prime Minister Lol Nol ousted King Sihanouk Norodom in a coup. This period was followed by unprecedented corruption, crime and suppression of the people. Almost 1 million Cambodians died during this period.

In 1975, Khmer Rouge, which was supposedly organized to fight the Lol Nol government, took over Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge had support from Communist China. From 1975-1979, Khmer Rouge carried out a systematic eradication of leaders, intellectuals, business people, and rebels. The massacre was the worst in the history of the 20 century, with nearly 2 million lives lost during that dark period in nation’s history. The rest of the population were tortured and made to slave in the fields with not even enough food to eat. The segment of society necessary for the carrying forward of a society was wiped out leaving the country to illiterates and less educated people to take over after the Khmer Rouge era. Thousands of people were left handicapped with one or no legs because of the mines planted across the country, beginning in the 1970s. In, 1979 the Khmer Rouge were ousted by the Vietnamese and a new government was instated.

This period removed the tortures but not the poverty, suffering, intimidation and suppression of the people. Many investors came to Cambodia but due to corruption and exploitation, the rich and powerful became richer leaving the poor to live in the same depressing conditions. The highest number of AIDS victims is in Cambodia. Corruption is carried out in the open and considered as part of earning a livelihood. Basic necessities are more expensive here than in other Asian countries. Petrol is almost double the price compared to Malaysia or Thailand. There are no reliable transport systems making traveling difficult and expensive.

At present, there is an improvement in democracy, law and order. The largest number of International NGOs is in Cambodia. Another foreseeable danger is that the large amount of aid and funds that is pouring into Cambodia will soon be reduced as it gets directed to other countries like East Timor and elsewhere where the need is immediate. A tourist, not knowing of the realities of Cambodia, will see the country only as a poor country.