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Untitled document

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lemondengerlagu
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The economic and race-based class system in the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia)

during the post-VOC (Dutch East India Company) era but before the 1900s was a product of
Dutch colonial policies and socio-economic hierarchies. This system was deeply stratified and
rooted in European imperial ideologies, capitalism, and a racialized view of society.

1. Historical Context

● The VOC governed the East Indies until its bankruptcy in 1799, after which the Dutch
state took over the colony.
● By the 19th century, the Dutch implemented systems like the Cultivation System
(1830–1870) to maximize economic extraction, followed by private-sector liberalization
under the Liberal Policy in the late 19th century.
● These economic systems reinforced racial and class divisions to ensure colonial control
and profitability.

2. Structure of the Class System

The class hierarchy in the Netherlands East Indies was based on race, economic function,
and legal status. Broadly, it consisted of three racialized groups:

a. Europeans (Top Tier)

● Who they were: This group included Dutch settlers, other Europeans, and some
Indo-Europeans (mixed Dutch-Indonesian descent).
● Economic Role: Europeans dominated high-ranking administrative, military, and
commercial positions. They were often plantation owners, traders, or bureaucrats.
● Privileges:
○ Europeans were subject to Dutch law and enjoyed higher wages, better living
conditions, and access to exclusive education and healthcare.
○ They lived in segregated neighborhoods and had political influence.
● Legal Status: Considered the ruling class and legally superior to other races.

b. Foreign Orientals (Middle Tier)

● Who they were: This group included Chinese, Arabs, Indians, and other non-native
Asian communities.
● Economic Role:
○ Chinese: Dominant in commerce, especially as middlemen, traders, and
moneylenders.
○ Arabs and Indians: Often engaged in trade, religious leadership, and small
businesses.
● Privileges:
○ Though wealthier than many indigenous people, they faced restrictions in
residence, business operations, and legal standing. For example, they could not
freely marry Europeans or own certain lands.
○ Governed by their own customary laws in many instances but subjected to
discriminatory colonial rules.
● Legal Status: Positioned between Europeans and indigenous peoples.

c. Indigenous People (Bottom Tier)

● Who they were: The vast majority of the population, including Javanese, Sundanese,
Minangkabau, and other ethnic groups.
● Economic Role:
○ Peasants: Worked in agriculture, often forced to grow export crops like coffee,
sugar, or indigo under the Cultivation System.
○ Laborers: Engaged in menial jobs, construction, and plantation work.
● Living Conditions:
○ They lived in rural villages or urban kampungs, often in poverty.
○ Limited access to education, healthcare, and other social services.
● Legal Status: Subjected to indigenous customary law and colonial regulations. They
had virtually no political power or legal recourse.

3. Racialized Policies and Practices

The colonial government institutionalized racial hierarchies through policies that segregated
communities and reinforced social stratification:

● Legal Dualism: Dutch law applied to Europeans, while indigenous customary law
governed natives. This legal separation entrenched inequality.
● Residential Segregation: Europeans lived in exclusive areas with better infrastructure,
while indigenous people lived in underdeveloped kampungs.
● Education: Europeans received Western-style education, while indigenous people were
largely excluded, with limited access to vocational or religious schools.
● Economic Exploitation: Systems like the Cultivation System forced indigenous
peasants to grow cash crops for export, undermining subsistence agriculture and
increasing poverty.

4. Intersection of Race and Class

● Indo-Europeans (Mixed Descent): They occupied an ambiguous position, often legally


categorized as Europeans but socially and economically excluded from elite circles.
● Social Mobility: Economic wealth could elevate the status of "Foreign Orientals," but
indigenous people faced significant barriers regardless of wealth.
● Cultural Imperialism: The Dutch justified their dominance through the idea of a
"civilizing mission," which portrayed the natives as inferior and in need of European
guidance.

5. Economic Impacts

● For Europeans: Colonial profits enriched the Dutch state and private European
individuals.
● For Indigenous People: Exploitation led to widespread poverty, landlessness, and
dependency on the colonial economy.
● For Foreign Orientals: They thrived in commerce but faced social prejudice and
restrictions on wealth accumulation.

6. Transition to the 20th Century

By the late 19th century, liberalization of the economy brought changes:

● European private companies entered the colony, further entrenching economic


disparities.
● Rising nationalist movements among indigenous elites (partly due to limited Western
education) began challenging the colonial system.

The racial and economic stratification persisted into the 20th century, but growing unrest and
global shifts eventually led to Indonesia's independence in 1945.

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