Myth of the corrupt 'Global South' is colonial fabrication
The exploitative nature of Dutch colonialism in the Dutch East Indies resulted in the creation of a poorly funded colonial state, which could barely follow its own rules as a result of this underfunding. This resulted in excessive and widespread corruption, for which 'local cultures' were then blamed.
Historian Otto Linde researched the abuse of authority in the Dutch East Indies in the period between 1848-1904. Linde: "In modern terms, this can be called 'corruption'. I looked at 'corrupt' practices in the colony itself and how these practices were discussed in colonial and Dutch press. Finally, I examined what was done in parliament and in the bureaucracy to reduce these practices."
Motherland
He continues: "Due to the exploitative nature of Dutch colonialism, profitability for the 'motherland' was paramount. With that goal in mind, you cannot expect the colonial state to take good care of its people or to be properly funded at all. And the 'motherland', which denied adequate funding to the colony, then called the colony 'corrupt', creating the myth of the corrupt 'Global South'. This shows once again how intertwined racism and debates about corruption were and can still be."