Memikirkan Ulang Sejarah Ekspansi Kolonial Belanda ke Sumatera Timur

Devi Itawan, Bahagio Raharjo


Abstract


This article reexamines the history of Dutch colonial expansion on the East Coast of Sumatra by situating it within a broader framework of imperialism, global capitalism, knowledge production, and ecological transformation. It asks how colonial expansion in the region can be understood beyond a purely territorial and political process. Using historical methods based on primary sources such as colonial reports, expedition accounts, and contemporary newspapers, the study analyzes the interplay between state power and private capital. The findings show that the rapid colonization of East Sumatra was driven less by direct state intervention than by foreign investment in plantation industries, particularly tobacco, supported by policies such as the Agrarian Law of 1870. Moreover, colonial knowledge and ecological restructuring played crucial roles in legitimizing and enabling exploitation. The article argues that colonial expansion in East Sumatra was a multidimensional process integrating political domination, capitalist penetration, and environmental transformation.

Keywords


Colonial knowledge; Dutch colonial expansion; East Sumatra; environmental transformation; private capital

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.30743/mkd.v10i2.13795

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MUKADIMAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, Sejarah, dan Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial

Program Studi Pendidikan Sejarah, FKIP, Universitas Islam Sumatera Utara, Medan
Sumatera Utara, Indonesia

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