ABSTRACT
This chapter examines articles published in Netherlands East Indies newspapers concerning the “revolutionary moment” from 1918 and how it was perceived in a colonial context. It begins with a discussion of the revolutionary moment and outlines the characteristics of the colonial Dutch press. Most of the articles discussing Bolshevism or communism prior to 1918 wrote in relation to the events in Europe and not the Indies. The Indies press mainly developed from the early nineteenth century, mostly catering to the Dutch and Chinese business communities. Some colonial newspapers compared the spread of communism to that of pestilence. It was described as a Bolshevik infection of the mind, ready to contaminate those who lost their livelihood or were economically incapacitated. In equating the communist movement with imperial competition, commentators downplayed the nationalist character of Asia’s communist movement.
