Apanage Dan Bekel

Apanage dan bekel is a historical book by Suhartono that explores the social changes in rural Surakarta, Indonesia, from 1830 to 1920. The book focuses on the system of apanage and bekel, which were forms of land tenure and administration under the rule of the Surakarta Sultanate and the Mangkunegaran Principality. The book provides a detailed and nuanced account of how the system affected the lives of the peasants, the aristocrats, and the colonial authorities.

The book’s plot is divided into six chapters, each covering a different aspect of the apanage and bekel system. The first chapter introduces the historical background and the geographical setting of Surakarta. The second chapter explains the concept and the origin of apanage and bekel, as well as their legal and political implications. The third chapter describes the social and economic conditions of the rural society, especially the peasants who worked on the apanage lands. The fourth chapter analyzes the role and the function of the bekel, who were the intermediaries between the apanage holders and the peasants. The fifth chapter discusses the impact of the colonial intervention and the expansion of plantation agriculture on the apanage and bekel system. The sixth chapter concludes the book by summarizing the main findings and highlighting the significance of the study.

The book’s character development is mainly focused on the bekel, who are portrayed as complex and dynamic agents of social change. The book shows how the bekel adapted to the changing circumstances and the shifting power relations, sometimes collaborating with the colonial authorities, sometimes resisting them, and sometimes exploiting the peasants. The book also depicts the diversity and the heterogeneity of the bekel, who had different backgrounds, motivations, and strategies. The book does not neglect the other actors involved in the system, such as the peasants, the apanage holders, the sultans, and the colonial officials, but it gives more attention and depth to the bekel.

The book’s writing style is academic and scholarly, but also accessible and engaging. The book uses various sources of evidence, such as archival documents, oral histories, statistical data, maps, and tables, to support its arguments and to illustrate its points. The book also employs various theoretical frameworks and analytical tools, such as historical sociology, political economy, and agrarian studies, to interpret and to contextualize its findings. The book is well-organized and well-structured, with clear and coherent transitions between the chapters and the sections. The book also provides a glossary, a bibliography, an index, and several appendices for further reference and information.

The book’s overall impact is significant and valuable, as it contributes to the understanding of the history and the society of Surakarta, as well as the broader issues of land, power, and culture in Indonesia. The book challenges the conventional and simplistic views of the apanage and bekel system, and reveals its complexity and diversity. The book also highlights the agency and the creativity of the rural people, especially the bekel, who shaped and reshaped the system according to their interests and needs. The book also offers insights and lessons for the present and the future, as it shows how the rural society responded to the challenges and the opportunities of the colonial and the post-colonial era.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the history and the culture of Surakarta, or in the general topics of land, society, and politics in Indonesia. 

The book is not only informative and enlightening, but also enjoyable and captivating. The book is a masterpiece of historical research and writing, and a testament to the author’s expertise and passion. 

Apanage dan bekel is a book that deserves to be read and appreciated by a wide and diverse audience.