Pandangan Lokal Versus Barat Tentang Puputan Badung: Ekspansi Imperialisme Modern Belanda dalam Konteks Bali

Abstract

The Dutch colonial policy in Bali was a rather similar to
those of the colonial policies in the rest of the Indonesian
archipelago, namely from indirect and informal rule to direct
and formal rule. These were due to the limited Dutch colonial
man powers in their colonized regions and also due to the
fact that there were many traditional cooperations in order to
be able to implement their powers, particularly in the 18th to
19th centuries. Indeed, the Dutch colonial policy implemented
the indirect and informal power as far as possible and the
direct and formal policy if it was necessary in the context
of “Pax Neerlandica”. However, due to the rise of a certain
political development not only in Europe, but also in the
Netherlands Indies, this policy could not be maintained any
longer. Additionally, the competing situation amongst the
European colonial powers was considered to be a threat
against the Dutch colonial interests in the Netherlands Indies.
This was a significant factor behind the reason why the Dutch
colonial rulers expanded to all of the indigenous rulers in the
Netherlands Indies, including the Bali traditional rulers in the
beginning of the twentieth century. In Bali, this was called the
Puputan, meaning the “end”, in which the traditional Bali

rulers were finally defeated. In relation to this, this paper is
attempted to show the different perspectives on the idea of
Puputan between the local and Dutch. Furthermore, this is
expected to contribute a better understanding on how the
Balinese rulers and their people defended their souvereignity
from the foreign powers.