Who is Max Havelaar?

Max Havelaar is the main character in a novel that appeared in 1860 entitled "Max Havelaar oder die Kaffeeversteigerungen der Niederländischen Handels-Gesellschaft". The author, Eduard Douwes Dekker, wrote this partly autobiographical book under the pseudonym Multatuli. From the age of 18 years onwards, Dekker lived in a Dutch colony and worked as a government official. He struggled without success against the deplorable conditions he found there and finally resigned his job.

This novel and its main character Max Havelaar are very popular in the Netherlands. When the first Fairtrade organization was established in Holland in 1988, it took the name Max Havelaar for symbolic reasons. This name was later taken up by various other newly established Fairtrade organizations, among them the Swiss-based foundation.

Further information about fair trade and the Max Havelaar Foundation