The Impact of Agrarian Law 1870 on the Indigenous Farmers

Agrarian Law or Agrarische Wet is a law issued in 1870 as a form of policy from the practice of a liberal economic system by the Dutch government. Of course, in the course of this policy, it will be colored by various positive and negative dynamics. This study examines the Agrarian Law of 1870 and finds its impact on indigenous farmers when the policy was issued. The questions of this research are: (1) Is the content and suitability of the law implemented; (2) Is the impact of the agrarian law on the lives of the farmers. The research was conducted by applying a statutory approach called the statute approach. The type of research used this research was conducted by reviewing and analyzing the Agrarian Law of 1870. The results show a deviation from the original purpose of the Agrarian Law of 1870. It was supposed to protect farmers' rights to their land, making them monotonous because land contracts bound them only to act as laborers on their land and could not compete with plantation products cultivated by private entrepreneurs.