The “Bataafsche Republiek” (1795 : 1806)

Abstract

Problem of colonial constitution: In the preceding section we have dealt frequently with the period of the “Bataafsche Republiek”. That was because, as far as the East Indies were concerned, the Batavian Republic did not bring much news. Being rather sure of what they wanted in Holland, the Patriots did not feel at ease when dealing with a perfectly different country. People who were sent in leading posts to Java were largely isolated there and in Holland itself inconclusive debating went on as to what kind of rule was to be established, whether to continue the Company’s tributary system or to replace it by a mere administrative body and open the Indies for private exploitation. The latter idea was more in harmony with the teaching of contemporary economists whether in England or in France. Dirk van Hogendorp, then back in Holland, entertained strong views of the latter character. Exploitation should be substituted for tributation, feudalism should be abandoned for laissez-faire (Ottow, 78, p. 38). As, however, he was not sure that exploitation — being of a private nature – could achieve the same results in the coffee cultivation of the Priangan, and as the colony’s position depended on coffee-export, even Dirk van Hogendorp intended to maintain the Company’s Priangan system (45, I, p. 443). It must be well stressed, as De Haan does, that it was not Dirk v. Hogendorp’s aim to benefit the natives. In the first place he hoped that his system would bring even more profits to the motherland (45, I, p. 441). The opponent of Dirk van Hogendorp in the Committee was S. C. Nederburgh, who had been sent to Java as Commissary General and whose report largely emanated from Nicolaus Engelhard, a staunch supporter of the late Company’s system (45, I, Personalia p. 83). Nicolaus Engelhard who had been governor of Java’s N.E. coast and Commissary of Native Affairs was a man who had grown rich in the usual corrupt way. He was not dishonest, considering that these conditions had become an accepted system. Different from the snobbish European potentates, he had a real interest for objective research to which his numerous detailed notes on all kinds of phenomena testify. He was not adverse to new ideas as can be inferred from his being grandmaster of the Freemasons at that time. But his detailed knowledge of the concrete phenomena made him skeptical of sweeping new speculative ideas. He saw very well that no system of free enterprise could as yet replace the Company’s tributary system. The Javanese had to be put to work under compulsion, they were not fit to become a “homo economicus”. Another trait of the native’s character was their extreme respect for worldly authority which was considered by them as being invested with divine rights. “Block” and ratan cane would be patiently suffered as far as applied by the government, but the same treatment applied by an entrepreneur would make them draw their kriss. In the absence of the government’s nimbus, the punishment would amount to an unbearable humiliation (45, I, pp. 160, 178, 428). It is not surprising that, confronted with these opponents, Dirk v. Hogendorp could not achieve his aim. No decisions were taken and the V.O.C. conditions practically survived the Batavian Republic. The great problem: “Could the same advantages be reaped from the country under a system more in line with contemporary European thought, i.e. under private enterprise?”, presented itself to Raffles and after him to the restored Dutch régime. Finally in 1828 an amphibian, hermaphrodite solution was recommended and clothed in liberal garments. It was to unmask this insincerity that Ottow wrote his Utrecht thesis (78) about which we shall have more to say presently.