Conquest or the Unification of the Indonesian State?

               The creation of a unified Indonesian state could not be considered without the impact of Dutch “conquest” on the Indonesian archipelago. It was apparent that before Dutch interference, the archipelago was never united, just a series of independent islands/nations that were generally independent kingdoms.(1) Though Dutch rule of Indonesia has often been seen as a foreign oppression of the native Indonesians, its impact could be seen as more similar to unification rather than a conquest of Indonesia.

            When the Dutch first arrived in the 16^th century, its hold on pieces of Indonesia was tenuous and very restricted. Not only did they have to expel Portuguese settlements, but they also had to face strong native resistance, even in their central station, Java.(2) In that way, the Dutch weren’t really conquerors of the land, but really just one established power among many.

            Therefore, it is evident that in reality, the Dutch in its beginnings in Indonesia would be more comparable to a competing native power than a foreign conqueror. Only in the late 18^th-early 19^th centuries, was the Dutch able to fully expand its authority from Java to include almost all of the outlying islands that consist the Indonesian borders of today.(3) If the Dutch was regarded in this perspective, this imperialistic growth could be represented as a unification of several states in a region, not a foreign invasion.

This was proven after the independence of Indonesia, when despite Dutch loss of control, its established territory remained as one, not separate kingdoms or even a federation of separate nations. Clearly, the growth of Dutch control over the archipelago had no doubt been the critical factor that set the foundation for an undivided Indonesia.

                        Evolution and Growth of the Dutch East Indies          


           

Were the Dutch so harmful to the Indonesians?

The Dutch are often charged with being terrible for the Indonesian people. It was stated that they had placed greater and harsher burdens on the lower classes, forcing them to create extra export crops(4) and therefore harming their once more comfortable lifestyle. They have also been seen to be destructive for the Indonesian culture, having shown no respect for the customs of what they called an “inferior race” and had worked to convert many to Western ways of life(5). However, though the Dutch had taken much of the control out of Indonesian hands, they also provided new opportunities for the Indonesians to thrive in an urbanized culture.

            Before Dutch rule of Indonesia, its economy had been pretty unsophisticated in nature. Though they had, of course, traded and exported Indonesia’s valuable spices all throughout Asia, they had still mainly been an agriculturally sustained nation, where the peasantry grew crops to feed itself, not for exportation or economical growth.(6) Therefore, when the Dutch created its influence on the nation, though it is admitted that there was a lack of technological stimulus, it still gave the Indonesians the first inklings of economic development and industrialization.(7) This had set the grounds for a modernized nation in a region where, without European presence, would have remained undeveloped for centuries.

            As a result of this European touch, there grew a new urbanized culture that received the great benefits of economic advancement. A new Indonesian elite was created that were able to take advantage of the Capitalistic structure of the Dutch Society in Indonesia and achieve luxury and economic prosperity,(8) albeit slightly limited by Dutch oligarchy. These people had essentially been given chances to rise in society through talents that might have never been even recognized in a pre-Dutch Era. Without Dutch impact, at least some of this group of people would have been highly unsuccessful in the former aristocratic social structure.

            And when the Dutch fell from power, this group, which itself had mainly gained success due to Dutch influence, was the one that eventually became their replacement and filled the upper levels of the new Indonesian society.(9) It was apparent that even though the Dutch were opportunistically devastative for many, some Indonesian people did however greatly benefit from their existence.

Japanese Liberation

             One  of the main and critical contributors to Indonesian independence was the imperialistic Japanese themselves. Though the Japanese are generally only credited as the oppressors of Asia throughout World War II, they were also instigators of a great nationalistic movement in Indonesia that eventually lead to the decolonization and independence of Indonesia.

            Of course there were several other nationalist movements before the Japanese seized control of the Dutch East Indies from Japan, but they were all in check and under control by the Dutch. Some of the largest of the former movements were associated with specific factions, such as Islam and Communism.(10) However, neither faction by itself held enough numbers or influence to pose a serious threat to the Dutch. After the failed revolt of the Communists, a soon to be influential leader Sukarno created a group that finally associated its nationalistic qualities with just the fight for independence, not with specific factions.

            However, this movement only became largely successful after the Dutch fell from power and the Japanese, having interred Dutch rulers, had to cooperate with the Indonesians for the administration of the country.(11) Sukarno worked within this system to eventually lead to native Indonesian control over the archipelago and independence after the consequent Japanese fall in World War II. (12) It was obvious that the Japanese were important in being the spark that greatly furthered the Indonesian fight for independence.

                                          

                                                                        

 Modern Day Indonesia