Institution

Cultivation System

from 1830 · 19th century

The Cultivation System was a policy introduced by the Dutch colonial government in Java from 1830, requiring villagers to devote part of their land or labour to export crops such as coffee, sugar and indigo for the state. It produced large profits for the Netherlands. It also caused great hardship and famine, and became a byword for exploitation in the Dutch Empire.

Cultivation System
Image: Nicolaes Visscher II · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 2 profiles

Dutch EmpireSocioeconomyDutch East IndiesSocioeconomy, Impact, Summary

Mentioned in 1 state history

Dutch East Indies

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Cultivation System. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/cultivation-system
MLA
“Cultivation System.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/cultivation-system. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Cultivation System.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/cultivation-system.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Cultivation System’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/cultivation-system (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻