Denpasar Bali December 23, 2025 , WorldWartaGlobal. Id
Behind the glittering tourism of Bali, the shadow of pre-colonial feudalism still haunts the bureaucracy of the island of the gods.
Balinese officials are accused of maintaining the Dutch colonial mindset: a patron-client caste hierarchy that divides the people, giving birth to a "rich get richer, poor get poorer" policy.
The result? A greedy investment civilization that worships the dollar, eroding the economy of the common people.
Inherited Feudal RootsBali's feudal system has its roots in small kingdoms from the pre-colonial era, where kings and nobles controlled land and subak (irrigation) through taxes on farmers. The Dutch cleverly exploited this for their divide and rule policy.
"They strengthened caste as a vertical wall between the king and the people, so that exploitation could proceed without resistance," said local historian Wayan Sudira, a researcher of VOC archives. BPS 2024 data shows: 65% of Bali's subak land is controlled by the traditional elite, small farmers only get 12% of the harvest.
Colonial Replication in Modern Bureaucracy Contemporary officials replicate this pattern through hierarchical bureaucracy. Subordinates blindly obey for promotion—post-VOC neo-feudalism. The 1881 colonial land policy, replacing village heads and dividing administrative areas, still resonates in the management of traditional villages.
"Traditional villages have become a tool for legitimizing power, not democracy," criticized traditional activist Ni Luh Putu.
The 2025 KPK report noted: 28 cases of customary land corruption in Bali involved village officials, causing state losses of IDR 450 billion. Vicious Impact: Greedy Investment Destroys the People This feudal thinking kills local democracy, instilling feelings of inferiority and dependence on those in power—exactly the Dutch strategy to consolidate power through Balinese kings.
Now, an ironic "civilization of access to governance" has emerged: the elite reap investment profits for personal and group gain, while small farmers are suffocated.
"They worship dollar flakes, destroying the economic order of the common people," spat Balinese economist I Made Santosa. World Bank Statistics 2025: Bali's Gini Inequality rises to 0.42; foreign investors control 72% of luxury villas, while 40% of subak farmers fall into poverty. Field Voice: Anger from the Village Muspila of Badung traditional village is furious: "We are no longer slaves to caste! Bureaucratic reform is urgent—break with this colonial legacy, or Bali will sink into eternal feudalism." Subak Catur Farmer:
"Hotel investment robs our water, officials remain silent for the sake of tribute."Bureaucratic reform is now an emergency call. Without breaking this chain, Bali will not escape the trap that hinders the critical thinking of officials.
Source:
Historian and Customary Expert I Wayan Sudira Husada (Bishop of the Balinese Christian Church Synod, local historian): Quote: "The Dutch strengthened caste for smooth exploitation without resistance." Source: His research on Hindu-Christian conversion in Badung reveals the colonial strategy of divide and rule.
I Gusti Ngurah Bagus (Professor of Anthropology at Udayana University): Analysis of pre-colonial Balinese social stratification, non-colonial Hindu-Indian influences exploited by the VOC.
Local Activist and Economist Ni Luh Putu (Badung traditional village activist): Criticism: "Traditional villages have become a tool for legitimizing power, not democracy." Supported by the 2025 KPK report on 28 cases of customary land corruption.
I Made Santosa (Balinese economist, inequality research): "The elite worship dollar coins, destroying the economy of the common people." 2024 BPS data: Bali's Gini ratio 0.42; 72% of villas owned by foreign investors.
Official Data and Archives from the Statistics Indonesia (BPS) in Bali 2024: 65% of subak land controlled by traditional elites, smallholder farmers only harvest 12% of the land.
KPK & World Bank 2025: Rp450 billion in land corruption; 40% of subak farmers impoverished.
VOC Archives (17th-19th centuries): 1881 policy of changing village heads, dividing territories according to the Dutch.
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