The Demographic Effects of Colonialism: Forced Labor and Mortality in Java, 1834-1879

Pim de Zwart; Daniel Gallardo-Albarrán; Auke Rijpma

doi:10.1017/S0022050721000577

The Demographic Effects of Colonialism: Forced Labor and Mortality in Java, 1834-1879

Pim de Zwart^*, Daniel Gallardo-Albarrán, Auke Rijpma

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We investigate the demographic effects of forced labor under an extractive colonial regime: the Cultivation System in nineteenth-century Java. Our panel analyses show that labor demands are strongly positively associated with mortality rates, likely resulting from malnourishment and unhygienic conditions on plantations and the spread of infectious diseases. An instrumental variable approach, using international market prices for coffee and sugar for predicting labor demands, addresses potential endogeneity concerns. Our estimates suggest that without the abolition of the Cultivation System average overall mortality in Java would have been between 10 and 30 percent higher by the late 1870s.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	211-249
Journal	Journal of Economic History
Volume	82
Issue number	1
Early online date	20 Dec 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022050721000577
Publication status	Published - Mar 2022

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1017/S0022050721000577Licence: CC BY

https://edepot.wur.nl/561817Licence: CC BY

10 Citations
1 Web publication/site

Colonialism, forced labor and mortality in Java
Gallardo Albarrán, D., de Zwart, P. & Rijpma, A., 20 Dec 2021
Research output: Non-textual form › Web publication/site › Popular

Open Access

The Demographic Effects of Colonialism: Forced Labor and Mortality in Java, 1834-1879
de Zwart, P. (Creator), Gallardo Albarrán, D. (Creator) & Rijpma, A. (Creator), Wageningen University, 23 Jun 2021
DOI: 10.3886/E143581
Dataset

Nederlandse kolonisator: Dwangarbeid op Java leidde tot aanzienlijke sterfte
Gallardo Albarrán, D., de Zwart, P. & Rijpma, A.
21/12/21
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research › Popular
Forse oversterfte Javanen door koloniale dwangarbeid na 1830
Gallardo Albarrán, D., de Zwart, P. & Rijpma, A.
21/12/21
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research › Popular
Nederlandse ‘Cultuurstelsel’ op Java leidde tot flinke oversterfte
Gallardo Albarrán, D., de Zwart, P. & Rijpma, A.
20/12/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research › Popular

Runner-up (2nd Position) for the University Fund Wageningen Research Award
Gallardo Albarrán, D. (Recipient) & de Zwart, P. (Recipient), 2022
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)

Cite this

@article{af425760a13b400ebbf73a55701a4fc2,

title = "The Demographic Effects of Colonialism: Forced Labor and Mortality in Java, 1834-1879",

abstract = "We investigate the demographic effects of forced labor under an extractive colonial regime: the Cultivation System in nineteenth-century Java. Our panel analyses show that labor demands are strongly positively associated with mortality rates, likely resulting from malnourishment and unhygienic conditions on plantations and the spread of infectious diseases. An instrumental variable approach, using international market prices for coffee and sugar for predicting labor demands, addresses potential endogeneity concerns. Our estimates suggest that without the abolition of the Cultivation System average overall mortality in Java would have been between 10 and 30 percent higher by the late 1870s. ",

author = "{de Zwart}, Pim and Daniel Gallardo-Albarr{\'a}n and Auke Rijpma",

year = "2022",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1017/S0022050721000577",

language = "English",

volume = "82",

pages = "211--249",

journal = "Journal of Economic History",

issn = "0022-0507",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Demographic Effects of Colonialism

T2 - Forced Labor and Mortality in Java, 1834-1879

AU - de Zwart, Pim

AU - Gallardo-Albarrán, Daniel

AU - Rijpma, Auke

PY - 2022/3

Y1 - 2022/3

N2 - We investigate the demographic effects of forced labor under an extractive colonial regime: the Cultivation System in nineteenth-century Java. Our panel analyses show that labor demands are strongly positively associated with mortality rates, likely resulting from malnourishment and unhygienic conditions on plantations and the spread of infectious diseases. An instrumental variable approach, using international market prices for coffee and sugar for predicting labor demands, addresses potential endogeneity concerns. Our estimates suggest that without the abolition of the Cultivation System average overall mortality in Java would have been between 10 and 30 percent higher by the late 1870s.

AB - We investigate the demographic effects of forced labor under an extractive colonial regime: the Cultivation System in nineteenth-century Java. Our panel analyses show that labor demands are strongly positively associated with mortality rates, likely resulting from malnourishment and unhygienic conditions on plantations and the spread of infectious diseases. An instrumental variable approach, using international market prices for coffee and sugar for predicting labor demands, addresses potential endogeneity concerns. Our estimates suggest that without the abolition of the Cultivation System average overall mortality in Java would have been between 10 and 30 percent higher by the late 1870s.

U2 - 10.1017/S0022050721000577

DO - 10.1017/S0022050721000577

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85121718246

SN - 0022-0507

VL - 82

SP - 211

EP - 249

JO - Journal of Economic History

JF - Journal of Economic History

IS - 1

ER -

The Demographic Effects of Colonialism: Forced Labor and Mortality in Java, 1834-1879

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Colonialism, forced labor and mortality in Java

Datasets

The Demographic Effects of Colonialism: Forced Labor and Mortality in Java, 1834-1879

Press/Media

Nederlandse kolonisator: Dwangarbeid op Java leidde tot aanzienlijke sterfte

Forse oversterfte Javanen door koloniale dwangarbeid na 1830

Nederlandse ‘Cultuurstelsel’ op Java leidde tot flinke oversterfte

Prizes

Runner-up (2nd Position) for the University Fund Wageningen Research Award

Cite this