PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – During a period marked by colonialism and exploitation in Pasundan, Indonesia In 1860, a colonial officer by the name of Eduard Douwes Dekker crafted a masterpiece that shed light on the widespread injustices faced by the local population.
Head of Partnership Indonesian Plantation Association – IPA / Gabungan Perusahan Perkebunan Indonesia, Wawan H. Hardiwinata said, the masterpiece was called Max Havelaar.
“It was not a roman but a class action to colonialism and unfair coffee trade by Dutch company,” Wawan said to Palmoilmagazine.com, Wednesday (4/10/2023).
He said that the thought of Max Havelaar would be the starting point to get fair trade in the world. The action developed fast and involved 632 certified organizations in 58 countries within 1900 networks. Though it reached success, fair trade action faced new challenges in the form of free trade that neo-capitalism proposed.
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In nowadays dynamic, Indonesia got the golden chance to reinforce its position from local plantation products in the markets globally. By having deeper understanding about Max Havelaar’s philosophy, this country could develop stronger foundation to get fair trade action.
“This is the same moment and situation with spices trade model from Indonesia with European and American countries,” Wawan said.
In fact, Max Havelaar book that reflected fair and critical thought could be source of valuable inspiration for Indonesian people. In addition, the book was the real evidence to fight unfairness. It contained of exploitation and misery stories that local people suffered from in Indonesia when Colonialism happened. “But the book kept fighting, fairness, and hopeful spirit for the better future,” he said.
The concrete things such as escalating product quality, training for smallholders, developing infrastructures, reinforcing local values in business practices could change trade paradigm in Indonesia. it is not only about marketing products to the globe but also develop positive images from Indonesia that were produced with ethics and morality.
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Besides introducing Max Havelaar as the inspiration, the other important things are to propose the book as the inscription of Memory of the World by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This acknowledgment should respect not only intellectual heritage in Indonesia but also should deliver exposure globally on critical thoughts in it.
The acknowledgment should be the moment to fight for fairness and human rights while reinforcing plantation product level in Indonesia in the markets globally.
In facing complex trade in the globe, the people of Indonesia have the chance to vocalize fairness and take inspiration from Max Havelaar’s thought. By knowing the roots of the history, Indonesia would be able to lead fair trade action, not only as a concept but also as the assessment which should derive from each product.
“Have a good fight, my friends – the activists who have fair trade thoughts to face free trade and neo-capitalism,” Wawan said. (T2)
