Although the Dutch ruled over Indonesia for more than three centuries, much of this rule was indirect and concentrated on economic exploitation rather than sociocultural transformation. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) initially operated as a commercial enterprise, focused on monopolizing spice trade routes rather than transforming local society.
In contrast, the Spanish in the Philippines and the British in Malaysia introduced widespread reforms in religion, education, administration, and infrastructure early in their colonial rule, leaving deeper and more visible cultural imprints. So why the Dutch couldn’t achieve the same thing?
Religious Continuity
One of the most defining features of colonial legacy is religious transformation. The Spanish heavily Christianized the Philippines, leading to a Roman Catholic majority that continues today. The British promoted Anglicanism but allowed Islam to remain strong in Malaysia, while still influencing religious structures.
In Indonesia, however, the Dutch failed to convert most of the population to Christianity. Islam, already well-rooted before Dutch arrival, remained dominant, especially in Java and Sumatra. Dutch missionaries had little reach outside a few Christian enclaves in Eastern Indonesia. This limited religious change insulated Indonesian identity from European reshaping.
Lack of Educational Penetration
The Dutch implemented education primarily to serve their administrative and commercial needs. Access to Dutch-language education was heavily restricted and often limited to the elite or specific ethnic groups. Most Indonesians were denied higher learning opportunities that might have introduced Western ideals more broadly.
By contrast, the Spanish and British encouraged greater literacy and established widespread mission schools in the Philippines and Malaysia, respectively. These institutions played a central role in transforming native societies and creating Westernized local elites.
Governance Style
Dutch colonial governance in Indonesia was largely extractive and relied heavily on a divide-and-rule strategy. Local rulers were often kept in place to carry out Dutch interests under indirect rule. The Dutch rarely integrated Indonesians into the colonial administration at higher levels.
In the Philippines and Malaysia, however, colonial authorities created broader civil services that involved locals to varying extents, cultivating a class of bureaucrats and professionals who adopted colonial norms. This inclusion helped embed colonial institutions more deeply in post-independence society.
Difficulties in Language and Cultural Integration
Dutch language and culture never became widely adopted in Indonesia, even the Indonesian language now use a lot of Dutch words. The Indonesian language, derived largely from Malay, became the lingua franca across the archipelago, further limiting the influence of Dutch.
In contrast, English remained widely used in Malaysia, especially in government and education, and Spanish remains the national language of the Philippines. This linguistic continuity helped reinforce colonial influence in daily life long after independence.
Strong Resistance
The nature and scale of resistance movements also shaped colonial legacies. In Indonesia, the long-term repression and racial segregation imposed by the Dutch helped forge a strong, unified nationalist identity that rejected Dutch cultural influence.
In the Philippines, the nationalist struggle was closely linked to reforms initiated during Spanish rule, while in Malaysia, anti-colonial sentiments were more fragmented and often negotiated through the British system itself. In Indonesia’s case, the colonial power was viewed as a foreign occupying force with little to no cultural affinity, intensifying post-colonial detachment.
Conclusion
In essence, the Dutch presence in Indonesia was more about economic exploitation than cultural integration. The Spanish and British colonial projects, though similarly exploitative, were more transformative in religious, educational, and administrative spheres.
This contrast explains why Dutch colonialism left a lighter cultural and institutional footprint in Indonesia than the more deeply embedded legacies seen in the Philippines and Malaysia.
