A Strategy to Overcome The Economic Depression: The Local Wisdom Of Rubber Farmers In Labuhan Batu During The World Economic Crisis (Malaise) In 1930-1942

Abstract

Starting from the early 1930s, the world entered a period of malaise, which often referred to as the Great Depression. Economic conditions throughout the world experienced a crisis, including in the Dutch East Indies region. The economic crisis had an impact on several sectors, including the agricultural sector, which resulted in the decline of prices globally. Rubber was one of the commodities that experienced a decline in prices, thus giving an impact on business actors, including rubber farmers. However, for the people of Labuhan Batu, although most of them worked as rubber farmers, they tried to survive the crisis by planting other export crops besides rubber such as areca nut, coconut, rice, etc. This contrasts with the community in other regions such as Bengkalis, which relied on rubber farming as the only economic resources. This local wisdom will be discussed in this paper. In order to discuss this matter, a research method based on culture and history was carried out. To find out what economic activities were carried out in the Labuhan Batu community, especially the rubber farmers, it is necessary to use the historical method, which is conducted by collecting data from a specific era. The local wisdom of smallholder rubber farmers in Labuhan Batu discussed in this paper is expected to be an inspiration and reflection for farmers in responding to the future economic crisis.