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Present-day Thailand is in many aspects a legacy of the policies and practices carried out by King Chulalongkorn the Great of Siam (A. D. 1868-1910) within the context of western colonialism and modernization. The documents therefore record social policies such as the successful emancipation of slaves by peaceful and legal means, the abolition of gambling, the establishment of a public school system and the reform of the Buddhist Sangha, as well as the promotion of agricultural production, the market economy, financial and fiscal institutions. These measures contributed to the maintenance of Siam independence, a rare feat in the world at the time.