The Cultivation System in Java

To overcome bancruptcy, the Dutch colonial government implemented the cultivation system or
cultuurstelsel in Java in the middle of the 19th century. By the system, the Dutch goverment planned
to monopolize the cultivation of export crops on Java. As a result, much of Java became Dutch
plantations.
The system obliged the villagers to devote 20% of their cultivation fields to export crops that
were decided by the Dutch. Among the crops were tobacco, sugar-cane, rubber, and cocoa. Villagers
had to work on the Dutch plantation for sixty days each a year. To make sure, people did not run
away from the Dutch Goverment restricted human mobility. People were not allowed to travel freely
without permision. Those who broke the rule were arrested and imprisoned.
To handle and control the process, the Dutch set up a network of local middlemen who profited
greatly from the system. The Dutch gave a lot of bonuses when their residency gave more crops than
before. This led the local people to suffer severe oppression.
The cultivation system was very successful. The Dutch earned a lot of money to run their colonial
government. between 1832 and 1852, 19% of total Dutch income was from their Javanese colony. The
figure increased to 33% between 1860 and 1866.
For the local people, the system was horrible. They suffered a lot because of their worsened
living standards. They worked hard to plant tye crops but they got little money, because the Dutch
Government applied fixed prices.