Exploring the Impact of Dutch Rule on the Economic Development of Taiwan’s Indigenous Peoples

Abstract

This paper examines the economic policies implemented by the Dutch  during their rule in Taiwan and their effects on the island’s Indigenous  peoples. Using a qualitative document analysis approach, it reviews  historical records and scholarly research to reveal that Dutch policies-such as the bok-sha (tribute) and annual tribute systems-functioned  primarily as mechanisms for resource extraction rather than economic  development. These measures intensified conflicts between Indigenous  tribes and Chinese immigrants, particularly after the Spanish were  expelled from northern Taiwan. Although not all Western colonial  powers acted solely as exploiters, the Dutch administration in Taiwan  largely pursued plunder rather than progress. Therefore, the study  concludes that Dutch colonial policies inflicted long-term economic  harm on Indigenous communities, leaving minimal positive contributions  to their development.