constitute the archive, what form it takes, and what systems of classification
signal at specific times, is the very substance of colonial politics.
Helping to prove Stoler's theory, the General Secretariat will be the case study
for this paper. This institution not only had administrative functions but also
provided information and advice. It was involved in information gathering,
processing, and production. Since its position could not be separated from
Governor General's position, it was a connector between Governors General
and their subordinates inside the colony as well as the route of communication
between the Dutch East Indies and the central government in The Hague.
This article focuses on archives management and bureaucracy development in
the Dutch East Indies via the functions and tasks of the Algemene Secretarie as it
managed the flow of information and selected that which would be kept as an
archive to support government processes. It tries to see bureaucracy development
in general and in the Algemene Secretarie in particular from the point view of
archives management. Combining examination of 19th century Dutch archives
in the National Archives of Indonesia (ANRI) and literature research, this paper
aims to describe the context behind archives creation to reveal that archives play
a more important role than just being extracted as historical sources.
Bureaucracy Development
The sending of the Commissioners indicated the strong intention of the central
government in The Hague to restore order in the Dutch East Indies. It was not
only more powerful than an ordinary commission, but also above the High
Government in the Dutch East Indies. The three person commission consisted
of future Governor General Baron van der Capellen, C. Th. Elout, and H. W.
Muntinghe. It was by Royal Decree 29 November 1814 that Muntinghe was
replaced by Rear Admiral A. A. Buyskes.4 The former actually had great influence
in determining the policy of these commissioners and was considered as the most
competent official to direct the restored government, but later was overlooked as
a nominee from the Netherlands.5 The establishment in 1819 of the Governor
General and regulations that were considered enough to maintain the economic
and administrative rule in the East Indies ended the necessity of the commission.
During its existence, a Governor General was appointed as the executive body
and was responsible for the daily administration in the Dutch East Indies.
The formal establishment of the Dutch East Indies under the Dutch was
announced on 19 August 1816, with the appointment of Baron van der Capellen
as Governor General.
There was a clear division of responsibility between the Council and the Governor
General. According to a regulation issued by Commissioners General Decree
22 December 1818, the Governor General and the Council (in Rade) regulated
annual financial and monetary matters, and determined income of civil servants,
gave instructions, appointed employees (indigenous and European), had the right
to pardon criminals based on the advice from High Court (Hoog Geregtshof),
and maintained relations with the indigenous kingdoms and people on behalf of
the King.6
NADIA F. DWIANDARI ARCHIVES MANAGEMENT AND BUREAUCRACY DEVELOPMENT:
THE CASE OF TRANSITIONAL DUTCH EAST INDIES, 1816-1830
4 Kleintjes, Staatsinstellingen van Nederlandsch-Indië, I, 14.
5 Day, The Policy and Administration, 204.
6 Attachment of Besluit van de Gouverneur Generaal 11 January 1819 No. 10.
115
