The working of the early land rent system in West Java

I cannot but look upon accomplishment of this undertaking as most conspicuous and important under my administration; and in its success or otherwise I am willing to stand or fair'.1 Thus Raffles wrote to Lord Minto on 13 February 1814, with reference to new land rent system which was then being introduced into Java to replace Dutch system of forced deliveries and contingents. Three years later in The History of Java, he left no doubt in minds of his readers that system had been successful. course of years 1814 and 1815, he wrote, the new system was introduced into Bantam, Ch?r?bon, and eastern districts, over a population of a million and a half of cultivators, not only without disturbance and opposition, but to satisfaction of all classes of natives, and to manifest increase of public revenue derivable from land. In several journies which I undertook into different provinces, for purposes of examining in person effect of progressive system of reform which I had happiness to introduce, and of lending sanction of official authority to such modifications of it as local circumstances might render advisable, I was a pleased spectator of its beneficial tendency, and of security and satisfaction it univer sally diffused.2 The documentary evidence in India Office Library, London, and State Archives (Arsip Negara), Djakarta, which relates to land rent system in west Java, would appear to warrant a somewhat different conclusion

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• Class Relations in Java in the Nineteenth Century

  Hans Bakker•Canadian Journal of Development…•1987

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