Portrait of a Patriot

Psychological knowledge in a colonial context: Theories on the nature of the "native mind" in the former Dutch East Indies.

“…They formulated outspoken protests and rebuttals of the views of Travaglino and van Loon (see, e.g., Bond van Indonesiche Artsen, 1924). One of the most prominent early critics of the Dutch colonial government was Mohammad Hatta, who, together with Sukarno, proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Indonesia on August 17, 1945, a few days after the capitulation of Japan (see Hatta, 1981). Hatta studied economics in the Netherlands from 1923 to 1932 and was active in the Indonesiche Vereeniging (Indonesian Society), which—partly because of his influence—was transformed into one of the most radical Indonesian political groups at the time, strongly advocating the principle of noncooperation.…”

“…In his famous defense speech, “Indonesia Free,” Hatta highlighted the damaging psychological consequences of the colonial political structure on the psyche of the indigenous population: “The spiritual structure of the nation has been changed. Its personality is temporarily broken” (Hatta, 1972, p. 245). This had led to a general passivity among Indonesians, a state of affairs that greatly facilitated maintaining colonial society.…”

“…Apart from the power of the army and the police and an absolute control over the economy, Hatta argued that colonial society was also buttressed by “various psychological factors of power on which the authority and prestige of the ruler rests” (Hatta, 1952, p. 258–259). Apart from keeping the masses ignorant and proclaiming a policy of association, Hatta mentioned the “psychological injection of the idea of superiority of the white race and of the unassailability of its position” as well as the “injection of the idea of national impotence of the Indonesians” (Hatta, 1972, p. 259). These ideas served significant ideological functions in Dutch colonial society.…”

“…Ideas of white superiority, presented with the authority of science, were part and parcel of everyday parlance in the Dutch East Indies and were essential to the ideology of a colonial society. As Hatta (1972, pp. 266–267) put it: For years the Indonesians have lived under this colonial hypnosis, until in the end they also believed in their own impotence and that the ruler was indispensable to give the country leadership… .…”

“…266–267) put it: For years the Indonesians have lived under this colonial hypnosis, until in the end they also believed in their own impotence and that the ruler was indispensable to give the country leadership… . Day in day out it has been emphasized that the Indonesians do not possess the capacities for leadership and that they are not capable of initiative, so that really they are predestined from the day of their birth to work under European leadership. Hatta stated that his principle of noncooperation was largely inspired to effect “a systematic destruction of the psychological foundations on which the authority and respect of the ruler are partly based” (Hatta, 1972, p. 272). It was, first of all, based on a desire to give the Indonesian population self-confidence.…”