The Wealthiest Regent in Java Lived in Luxury While His People Suffered

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The history of Indonesia records that inequality between the luxury of rulers and the lives of the people has persisted since the colonial era. Amidst public suffering, a number of local elites enjoyed abundant wealth from the economic system built by the colonial government. One such story originates from Cianjur, West Java. In the early 19th century, the area was known as one of the most prosperous regions in Java thanks to the rapid production of plantation commodities, especially coffee. The abundance of coffee made Cianjur one of the largest production centres in the Priangan region. The profits from this commodity elevated the wealth and social status of local elites, including the regent who led the area. Dutch historian Jan Breman, in his book Colonial Profit from Forced Labour: The Coffee Forced Cultivation System in Java 1720-1870 (2014), noted that during the forced cultivation period (1830-1870), Cianjur was the largest coffee producer in Priangan. In 1806, its production even reached 1.5 million coffee trees. This wealth elevated the position of local elites, including the regent. According to historian Nina Herlina Lubis in The Life of the Priangan Elite, 1800-1942 (1998), the regents were the wealthiest group in their regions. They earned income from salaries, taxes, and unwritten feudal practices. However, this prosperity was not felt by the people. The populace instead bore the heavy burden of the coffee forced cultivation system. The farmers’ hard work became the foundation of the region’s wealth, but the results mostly flowed into the colonial treasury and were enjoyed by local elites, including the regent. Moreover, the Regent of Cianjur was known for his luxurious lifestyle. Jan Breman recorded that the regent often travelled in a gold-plated carriage, like a great nobleman. “Like great consumptive lords, they shopped for luxury goods at high prices. On their return, they brought opium, tobacco, and cotton, goods to be sold to their subordinate chiefs,” Breman wrote. This luxury even had a direct impact on other regions. The Dutch colonial official Multatuli, in his novel Max Havelaar (1860), highlighted how the Regent of Cianjur’s visit to Lebak burdened the host region. According to him, the regent arrived with a large entourage that had to be accommodated by the local area. “Hundreds of people, all of whom had to be housed and fed, as well as their horses,” wrote Multatuli. According to Nina Herlina Lubis, this condition was inseparable from the perspective of power at the time. The regency was positioned as a stage, with the regent as the main actor who had to display magnificence. “The regency was like a performance stage with the regent as the lead actor who had to act splendidly,” Nina revealed. Ultimately, history shows a recurring pattern. Power often goes hand in hand with elite luxury, while the people continue to bear the suffering.