Chinese Indentured Labour in the Dutch East Indies, 1880–1942: Tin, Tobacco, Timber, and the Penal Sanction (Palgrave Macmillan Transnational History Series)

This book offers a comprehensive account of indentured Chinese labour in the Dutch East Indies between 1880 and 1942, particularly in its twilight years after 1917. The author shows that Chinese indenture started and evolved differently from other forms of bonded labour in Southeast Asia and globally, including its Indian and Javanese variants. This difference is reflected in its lexicon, which was in part special to the Chinese strain. Using fieldwork findings from the tin islands of Bangka and Belitung and the Deli plantations on Sumatra as well as archival materials in Dutch, Chinese, and other languages held in libraries in Java, Nanjing, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Leiden, this book presents cutting-edge research that sets out to contribute to the revising of our historical understanding of indenture. Praise for Chinese Indentured Labour in the Dutch East Indies, 1880–1942 Acknowledgements A Note on Language Contents List of Tables Chapter 1: Introduction References Chapter 2: The Setting Sources The Meaning of Indenture The Staged Abolition of Indenture Naming the Labourer Chinese Labour in the East Indies China and the Qiaoxiang in the Early Twentieth Century The Sending Places Language and Labour Migration The Political Context of Recruitment for Indenture Three Sites of Chinese Indenture in Sumatra The Islands after the Dutch References Chapter 3: Indenture in Three Keys: Chinese, Indian, and Javanese The Diversity of Indenture Indenture and the State Self-organisation Among Labourers Language and Labour Diaspora Gender and Indenture Remittance and Letter-writing Explaining the Differences The Chinese Kongsi Slavery and Indenture Slavery and Indenture in China Indentured Labour and Narratives of Nationhood Chinese Migration in Comparative Perspective Conclusions References Chapter 4: The Penal Sanction Early Regulations and Legislation The First Coolie Ordinance, 1880 Free Labour Deli’s Millions Anglo-Dutch Relations and the Penal Sanction The Labour Inspectorate and the Labour Office A New Coolie Ordinance, 1905–1915 Van Blommestein’s Criticism of the 1915 Coolie Ordinance The Penal Sanction, 1915–1931 The British and the Ending of Indenture The Penal Sanction after 1915 The Curtailment of Indenture, 1929–1930 Indenture and Capitalism References Chapter 5: Recruitment Chinese Labour Migration to the Nanyang Ebbs and Flows in Modern Recruitment Hostels Professional Recruitment Latin American Recruitment of Chinese Labourers Shuike and ketou Wartime Couriering Laoke Recruitment Labour Recruitment in the First World War The Chinese Labour Corps after the Armistice Labour Recruitment Linked to Foreign States in China in the Inter-war Years Japanese Labour Recruitment in the Interwar Years Criminality and Recruitment Corruption and the Switch from Chinese to Javanese Recruitment Seafarers Chinese Bonded Labour in Australia and the South Pacific A Comparison of Indian, Javanese, and Chinese Recruitment Conclusions References Chapter 6: Huagong Life and Labour Under the “Coolie System” The Recruitment Procedure before Departure The Core Element of Indenture The Phasing of Indenture Release from Indenture Reindenture Repatriates and Remigrants Sources of Debt Huagong at Work Payment Mining Planting Panglongs Mechanisation Food Pensions Housing Workers’ Health Labourers’ Spare Time Abuse Resistance Profits Huagong Society in Perspective and Transition Conclusion References Appendix A Appendix B Chapter 1. The Panglong Region Types of Panglong The Firewood Sections c. Charcoal Kilns Panglongs on Private Concessions Number of Panglongs Chapter 2. The Initial Establishment of Panglongs Panglong Legislation Chapter 3. Extension of Supervision Desirable Chapter 5. Working Hours References Index