The Reign of Raffles in Java in 1811-1816

Abstract

Not long after the handover of Java, Lord Minto, governor of India, appointed Thomas Stamford Raffles as lieutenant-governor of Java. Coincidentally, in keeping with his feelings for the Dutch, he began his career on the island of Penang, where the British established a trading station (1786) against the trade monopoly exercised by the Dutch forces in Malacca through sea patrols. Raffles may well be regarded as a staunch hater against the Dutch who were constantly trying to destroy them before, during and after his rule in Java. The initial action of Raffles and Minto was to place the important influence attached to the administration of the domestic government in British hands. This was done through changes in the European government bureaucratic system and indigenous governments as well as changes in the administrative system of the residency area. Besides, Raffles introduced the land rental system or what is more commonly called the "land tax system", the "British system" or the "national system". The period of Raffles' rule in Java, which was relatively short, brought about a lot of changes and developments in Java.