A SHORT HISTORY OF INDONESIA Short History of Asia Series Series Editor: Milton Osborne Milton Osborne has had an association with the Asian region for over 40 years as an academic, public servant and independent writer He is the author of eight books on Asian topics, including Southeast Asia: An Introductory History, first published in 1979 and now in its eighth edition, and, most recently, The Mekong: Turbulent Past, Uncertain Future, published in 2000 A SHORT HISTO RY OF INDONESIA THE UNLIKELY NATION? Colin Brown First published in 2003 Copyright © Colin Brown 2003 All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10 per cent of this book, whichever is the greater, to be photocopied by any educational institution for its educational purposes provided that the educational institution (or body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under the Act Allen & Unwin 83 Alexander Street Crows Nest NSW 2065 Australia Phone: (61 2) 8425 0100 Fax: (61 2) 9906 2218 Email: info@allenandunwin.com Web: www.allenandunwin.com National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry: Brown, Colin, A short history of Indonesia : the unlikely nation? Bibliography Includes index ISBN 86508 838 Indonesia—History I Title (Series : Short histories of Asia) 959.4 Index compiled by Russell Brooks Set in 11/14 pt Goudy by Midland Typesetters, Maryborough, Victoria Printed by South Wind Productions, Singapore 10 For Christopher and Meily This is their story, more than it is mine CONTENTS Acknowledgements Maps of Indonesia Acronyms Glossary Note on transcription The Indonesian context What’s in a name? The physical environment The ethnographic environment The rise of states: 1–1500 CE The rise of the state Hindu and Buddhist societies The age of commerce: 1400–1700 The spread of Islam The beginnings of colonialism Economic demise, political decline: 1600–1800 Extension of VOC control Decline of Mataram The Chinese War, 1740–1741 The Company outside Java The collapse of the VOC The legacy of the VOC Establishment of empire: 1800–1900 Colonial reactions The Cultivation System Liberal Era East coast of Sumatera Aceh The Aceh War ix xi xiv xvi xviii 11 13 17 29 31 32 49 55 57 60 65 68 70 72 81 83 89 91 96 99 vii A Short History of Indonesia The other islands The colonial infrastructure Times of change: 1900–1945 Japanese administration From revolution to authoritarian rule: 1945–1957 Guided to Pancasila democracy: 1956–1998 The rise of the New Order government New Order foreign policy The New Order and East Timor Separatism in Aceh Economic developments under Suharto Restraints on the exercise of power Reformasi: The post-Suharto era? Bibliographical essay Endnotes Index viii 101 102 104 140 156 185 197 208 209 212 218 223 225 247 260 263 Acknowledgements The author of any book acquires a mountain of debts, both academic and social I am no exception The first draft of this book was written in the second half of 2000, while I was on study leave from Flinders University For part of this time, I was a Visiting Fellow at the International Institute for Asian Studies in Leiden, the Netherlands I gratefully acknowledge the warm collegial support I received during my stay there, from the Director Professor W A L Stokhof and all his colleagues I also spent several weeks in the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Parahyangan University, Bandung, Indonesia I have been visiting Parahyangan regularly for some years now; once again, staff and students there made me feel most welcome I thank in particular the Rector of the University, Professor B Suprapto Brotosiswojo, the Deputy Rector for Academic Affairs, Mr Johannes Gunawan, the Deputy Rector for International Cooperation, Dr R W Triweko, and the then Dean of the Faculty, Dr Pius Suratman Kartasasmita Griffith University, where I first taught Indonesian history, provided me with office and library facilities for the final part of my leave I thank Professor Nick Knight, Dean of the Faculty of Asian and International Studies, and Professor Colin Mackerras At Flinders University, I have had the good fortune to work with a number of very talented scholars I must single out Dr Jim Schiller, with whom I have co-taught courses and co-supervised postgraduate students, for his willingness to discuss almost any aspect of Indonesia, and his deep knowledge of and feeling for the country We have not always agreed on interpretation of events, but I have always admired and respected the persuasive ways in which he makes his points I also acknowledge the students I have taught, and debated with, at Griffith University, the University of Tasmania, Parahyangan University and Flinders University It is almost a cliché to say so, but I ix ... Pasar Ujung Padang (Makassar) Banjarmasin Palangkaraya Balikpapan Surabaya Madiun Kotawringin Pekalongan Linggajati Tegal Batang Bandung Jakarta BANGKA Sukabumi Palembang Padang Bukittinggi MALAYSIA... Kartasura Prambanan Pasuruan Besuki Mataram Makassar Banjarmasin Rembang Tuban Sidayu Gresik Surabaya Yogyakarta BO DU R Pekalongan BO RODieng Plat ran Jepara Se Batang ma Serdang Pontianak Batavia Cirebon... spelling altered over the centuries: Jayakarta became Batavia, then Djakarta and then Jakarta; Makasar was once called Ujung Pandang; Yogyakarta has been spelled as Jogjakarta and Djokdjakarta In all