Colonialism in Indonesia: Resistance and Accommodation.

1. Colonialism in Indonesia:
Resistance & Accommodation
By: Iwan Syahril
December 5th, 2008
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2. Colonialism in Indonesia
The Spice Race
Dutch colonization in Indonesia
Max Havelaar clips
Resistance
A newspaper article written in 1913
Accommodation
Reflection, Connection
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3. “It (colonialism/imperialism) is a lust, a
system which rules or directs the
economy and country of another
people.”
--Soekarno, 1930
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4. Indonesia, the
greatest prize in
Asia
• The Portuguese, the
16th century.
• The Dutch, the 17th-20th
century.
• The British, 1811-1816.
• The Japanese, 1942-45.
“For God and Spices!”
“A few nutmeg nuts
could be sold for
enough money to
enable financial
independence for
life.”
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5. Max Havelaar, the book that killed colonialism.
The movie
(1976)
(1860) By: Multatuli, pen
name for Eduard
Douwes Dekker;
proclaimed as the best
Dutch writer of all time.
• Denounced the abuses of
colonialism in Dutch East
Indies; free labor, cultivation
system, tax collection.
• Raised awareness
among Europeans living
in Europe about the
realities of the colonies
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6. Focus questions
To what extent did the Indonesians
resist the Dutch colonialism?
To what extent did the Indonesians
accommodate the Dutch
colonialism?
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7. Resistance
in the 20th century
Nationalist
movement
Educated elites
Political parties
Inter-group
dialogues
Publications
Physical struggle
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8. The Nationalist Movement
More united movements &
organizations
Educated the masses
Spread the concept of nationalism
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9. Publications
Access to Education
Literacy: bilingualism means access.
Understanding the colonialism.
Spreading the movement.
Gaining sympathy and support.
‘Alks ik eens Nederlander was’ (If I were for
once to be a Dutchman)
A famous Dutch-language newspaper article written
by Suwardi Surjaningrat (Ki Hadjar Dewantoro) in
1913.
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10. Accommodation in the 20th century
By collusion (the local rulers).
Selfishness, manipulation,
greediness.
By ignorance.
Uneducated, illiterate, limited
world views.
By feeling powerless; no hope,
no confidence, no dreams.
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11. Indonesia Accuses!
Soekarno’s Defence
Oration in the Political
Trial of 1930
“Imperialism also is a concept, a kind of viewpoint. It
has nothing to do with the charges concerning us.
It is not a civil servant; it is not the government; it
is not authority; it is no individual or organization
whatsoever. It is a lust, a system which rules or
directs the economy and country of another
people. It is a societal ‘happening’, arising out of
the economic requirements of a particular country
or people. As long as ‘economic nationalism’ or a
‘national economy’ exists, the world will bear
witness to imperialism.”
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