Page 283 - Ranah Studi Agraria: Penguasaan Tanah dan Hubungan Agraris

Ranah Studi Agraria

Different parts of the region in West Java where the six
villages studied are located could be also distinguished. His-
torically, quite distinct forms of colonial extraction during
the 19 century were experienced by three different parts of
th
the region. The upland Regencies of Sumedang and Garut (in
which two villages studied, namely Sukaambit and Ciwangi
respectively, are located), being subject to the so called
“Preanger System” of forced cultivation system, underwent
less direct intervention of a colonial administrative system ,
10
so that they were rather isolated from colonial enterprises
before the system was abolished in 1870. As a consequence of
the colonial Agrarian Law enacted in that year, an “opening
up” of this region led to a rather spectacular development of
upland plantations, construction of rice cassava mills, infra-
structure (roads, etc.). The lowland Cirebon region where one
of the present observed villages, Village I, is located, under-
went different experience. It was subject to the pattern of sug-
arcane-paddy “symbiosis” of the “culture-system” (as des-
cribed by Geertz, 1963). Indramayu, on the other hand, (where
village II is located) experienced a different history. Being sold
by Raffles in 1813, this region comprised two giant private
estates and, thus, dominated by the production of high-quali-

ty rice for export. In 1910, the Dutch colonial government
bought back the estates, coincided with the construction of
the railroad track Cikampek-Cirebon . From the available his-
11
torical sources, however there is no clear information con-

10 See, for example, Ger Teitler (1979); also White and Wiradi (1981).
11 See, Frank (1979).

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