Johannes Van Den Bosch Officially Became Governor General Of The Dutch East Indies In History Today, January 16, 1830

The Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, Johannes van den Bosch, who ruled from 1830-1834. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA History today, 193 years ago, January 16, 1830, Johannes van den Bosch was appointed Governor General of the Dutch East Indies. He replaced the previous colony leader, Leonard du Bus de Gisignies.

The Netherlands wants Van den Bosch to immediately move to become an economic savior due to the Java War. The Paksa Plant System was born. Therefore, the Netherlands made a big profit. The results of forced cultivation can make the Dutch pay all their debts. The money also helped build the Dutch country.

The Java war or known as the Diponegero War (1825-1830) was a disaster for the Dutch. The five-year war made the Netherlands fall to its lowest level. Moreover, previously the economic conditions in the Dutch East Indies (now: Indonesia) continued to lose money.

All because the price of coffee commodities fell. This condition made the Dutch rush to replace the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, Van der Capellen, who often perpetuated a detrimental policy with the Du Bus de Gisignies.

The option in fact cannot bring about a significant change. Du Bus de Gisignies boro-boro can bring economic improvement to the Dutch East Indies. In fact, a lot of energy is wasted to perpetuate the war with Prince Diponegoro and his followers.

The casualties between the two sides fell. The Dutch began to feel a very deep loss. The village head was drained due to the Javanese War. In fact, the Dutch should have been able to guarantee that the colony would give the Dutch excess profits. Even though Du Bus de Gisignies was able to weaken the resistance of the bumiputras in the Java War.

Everyone knows that Diponegoro has risen again against us, but his way of arrest will always, in my opinion, be a disgrace for the prestige of our predecessors to occupy promises (trouw).

It is true that he is a rebel, but he has come to end the war which has claimed so much loss. Both his wealth and his life as well as on our side, "explained Prince Hendrik, son of Bungsu King Willem II as quoted by historian Peter Carey in the bookipelago: Prince History Diponegoro 1785-1855 (2019).

The Dutch were getting overwhelmed. The leadership of Du Bus de Gisgenies was unable to bring any significant change. Van den Bosch also appeared. The man, who originally had a career as a Dutch military in Batavia, was confident that he was able to bring about change.

The Netherlands also appointed him as the new Governor General of the Dutch East Indies on January 16, 1830. The owner of the power to choose him was due to the concept of economic improvement he offered. The Cultural system (Tanam Paksa), his name.

The system made the Dutch organize bumiputra farmers on the island of Java as a means of profit. They were blackmailed like dairy cows in forced cultivation. Alias of farmers are forced to plant all kinds of imported plants that are considered profitable.

The results were significant. Instead of just ending Diponegoro's resistance, Van den Bosch actually made the Netherlands profit from being piled up. Fortunately, the forced park was able to make Dutch foreign debt paid off.

Moreover, all kinds of large development transport systems to factories - in the Land of themills are actually financed from profit of forced cultivation. Therefore, Van den Bosch became one of the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies who had a big influence.

Van den Bosch now believes in his king that he will find imported crop production in Java up to 20 million guilders a year. Special steps will provide Dutch traders and Dutch shipping the first opportunity to handle harvests. He did not intend to put all the burden on producing this wealth on the pawnshop of Javanese farmers.

"On the other hand, he hopes to pay their part of the business profit. Because Van den Bosch once again made the East Indies government Bealnda a direct promoter of agricultural business, he is said to be trying to return to the VOC tyranny system," said Bernard HM Vlekke in the book Nusantara (2008).