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Spotlight on Dutch-Indonesian History (II)
A general view on the Far East about 1600
Now before probing further in the history of the Dutch-Indonesians, we must always
bear in mind that the written history of the Europeans in the Far East is incomplete, often
incorrect and very complicated. English, Portugese, Spanish and Dutch discoverers and
traders were fighting each other incessantly, each writing his own "history", which was
often exaggerated and incorrect. Up to now hundreds of historians are still trying to build
up a reliable history of the Far East by comparing all available documents, and cutting
down to size historical "facts" of a strong chauvinistic nature.
It was this chauvinistic nature of written The "conquest of the Far East" was in
history that built up the idea of white su- fact only the establishment of a few strong-
periority for many centuries to come. And
has in many ways nothing to do with real
superiority indeed. In those days most of
the Eastern civilizations were in decline
after years of indisputable culture and
power. Like in Greece and Rome internal
wars tore down Java and Japan. Like the
Spanish Armada of enormous ships was
destroyed by a fleet of tiny Dutch ships,
Javanese fleets with in those days the biggest
ships of the Far East were destroyed by
much smaller Portugese warriors. Japan was
the first nation to restore national disorder.
In the big battle of Sekigahara (Oct. 20,
1600 Tokugawa Ieyasu got the absolute
mastery of Japan, restored order, and Japan
began to grow again. And three centuries
later already Japan was powerful enough
to beat China and Russia, and again half
a century later it could attack the combined
forces of America, and the United Kingdom
and master the entire Pacific and Far East.
Even after losing this battle, Japan is still
a strong country with a world trade and
a great influence on culture the world over.
We may understand now why the Indo
nesians kept fighting for unity. It is only
unity that gives a people the greatest
powers. It is dis-unity that breaks down
peoples and groups to worthless beggars. It
is the same story over and over again
through all centuries: peoples coming up by
unity and going down by disunity.
After some time the Portugese and
Spaniards went down and the English and
Dutch came up. The upcoming of the
Dutch was remarkable indeed. Starting with
a bunch of fighting communities, the Seven
Provinces came to forming a strong unity,
driving an upper mighty Spain away in the
80 Years War and carrying its new flag:
orange-white-light blue (later for nautical
reasons red-white-blue) to all continents of
the world.
Around this year, 1600, Europe was a
poor mess indeed. In all countries savage
wars were carried for political or religious
causes. From our school days we remember
Wars for Succession, the 30 Years War in
Germany, Cromwell, the 80 Years War. Of
course many prefer to speak about the fine
things of civilization in those days. About
Rembrandt and \Tondel and Hugo de Groot,
but we must not forget that in those days
also every city had its gallow-fields, its tor
ture chambers, that witches and priests
were burned, that the discovery of gun
powder was mightier than the discovery of
printing. There was very much oppression.
Many people fled and came to America
to found a new free people and nation.
All these wars however also made skilful
warriors. And when those came to a declin
ing ar East, conquest was easy. So do not
think brown or yellow people are inferior,
they were temporarily inferior. Also do not
exaggerate the savageness and cruelty of
the Europeans in those days. They knew
nothing better, as cruelty was a normal
aspect in the Europe of 1600. The destroy
ing of Banda by Jan Pietersz. Coen was
cruel indeed by today's standards, but in
those days killing^and beheading and burn
ing were normal things. Not only in Europe,
but the world over. When you read reports
of the Java War two centuries later, you will
be astonished by the "normal cruelties on
both sides.
holds for trade purposes (in Goa, Macao,
Jacatra, etc.) without attacking, suppress
ing or killing the original peoples. With
those peoples a sound trade was accomp
lished, bringing prosperity to all parties
involved. Wars practically existed only
between the traders. In fact Kings and
Traders often hired pirates and soldiers of
fortune to fight under their flag, not for
national purposes, but for trade purposes
only. Kings and Emperors in Europe those
days did not bother much about things
going on in the Far East. Trade Fleets came
to Europe with enormous values: spices
from Banda, silk from Spain, silver and
"kraakporcelein" from Japan, etc., etc.
Kings and emperors could use those riches
for further establishing their already ab
solute power. But it is easy to see that the
traders and conquerors in the Far East
slowly began to develop their own ideas
about freedom and power. It is also under
standable that little Flolland, always at
tacked by the great powers and kings of
Europe, was the first to think about new
systems of governing peoples.
Two names may never be forgotten in
this field: Johannes Althusius and Hugo
Grotius. Of the latter most of us know only
that he "escaped in a bookcase", assisted
herein by a sly housemaid. But nobody
knows for what sake. Grotius was the man
who wrote a treatise on the laws of war
and peace, and laid the foundation for our
modern system of international law. He also
pleaded for religious tolerance and for a
"Mare Liberum": the free seas.
Althusius laid down for the first time in
history the principles of democracy. In his
"Politics Systematically Considered" (1609)
he argues that "the State is a Common
wealth which begins from the compact and
is maintained for the general good."
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Up to then kings and emperors only
reigned by subduing peoples, a citizen was
practically a possession of the king. Foreign
peoples were slaves. In the Far East that
was not so: all those European traders and
conquerors tried to live in peace with the
Eastern peoples, because in the first place:
only in peace, trade could prosper, and in
the second place: they were so few in
strange countries with millions, that it was
a life necessity to maintain friendship. Power
was established by treaties (tractaten).
And under the changing flags of traders
and kings the Eastern peoples very much
remained unchanged, and built up new
ideas of understanding and civilization.
(To be continued
Consulted authors a.o.
Boxer and Preger.
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