The coolie labour question and German colonial policy in Samoa, 1900–1914

Abstract

as well as the Chinese Governments during the period would have had long term deleterious effects upon the Samoan people, the problem of supplying Chinese coolie labour, essential for the European plantations on that part of Samoa under German rule, became one of most critical importance for the colony. The availability of German Colonial Office records now enables a revelation of the German understanding of the problem, the word 'German' covering both the planter attitude as well as that of the Government. Although the latter was concerned to a degree for plantation interests it is by no means true that the colony was administered solely on their behalf. The documents show that the policy makers were guided by rather more than purely economic aims. Indeed, they had determined that Samoa was to be administered primarily for the Samoans, not the planters and traders, a decision which the succeeding military administration from New Zealand had to confront afresh when they inherited the problems of govern ing Samoa after the outbreak of war.1