Indonesia is a country located in Southeast Asia. It is a large tropical archipelago with over 15,000 islands. Indonesia is very fertile, due to the volcanic ash that its soil is comprised of. People have been living there for thousands of years. Even before being taken over by the Dutch East India Company, Indonesia had a long history of foreign interaction. Prior to European contact, indigenous Indonesians had a successful trade empire, doing business with China and India. Hinduism and Buddhism from India had influenced it for centuries. In the 13th century, they were reached by traders carrying Islam, which is still a majority religion today. Imperialism:
The first dealings with a major European power happened in 1511 when the Portuguese sent ships to trade. The main reason was to buy spices without having to go through Arab middlemen who reduced their profits. Second, missionaries tasked them with spreading Christianity. Although the Portuguese lost many of their holdings by the mid-1600s, other powers were ready to take their place. The Dutch East India Company was commissioned in 1602 and granted a monopoly on the spice trade. They established control by building factories and plantations, as well as suppressing revolt with military force. Using what was called the Cultivation System, the Dutch forced natives to grow cash crops, which were sold for massive profits. However, they also would destroy farmer’s crops to boost profits, which destroyed the livelihood of many.
Impacts of Imperialism:
The impacts of imperialism on Indonesia are clear. Overall, there was a negative effect. First of all, the Cultivation System was devastating for the native people. Crop destruction, while beneficial to the Dutch East India Company, was horrible for farmers, who lost all their profit. In addition, plantations using the system had slave like working conditions. Thousands starved to death under Dutch rule. However, once the Dutch realized how detrimental their actions were, they employed what was called the Ethical System. They built new infrastructure and educated Indonesians. However, in a misguided attempt to continue to develop the islands, they forced many to move to outer, rural regions. There, many were subject to ethical persecution.
Today, influences of Dutch rule are visible in Indonesia. Crops introduced by the Dutch such as coffee and sugar are still grown and sold all over the world. In addition, Dutch and Portuguese cultural influences are still visible in Indonesian plays, music, and architecture.
Flag of the Dutch East India Company
The shipyard of the Dutch East India Company in Amsterdam
Coffee production in Indonesia
The Dutch colonial style as seen in an East Javanese Bank