ABSTRAKOei Tiong Ham terlahir sebagai Cina peranakan di Semarang, bisnis gula yan ia rintis di kota kelahirannya itu, berhasil membawanya menjadi pengusaha terkaya atau multimilyuner terutama pada kurun tahun 1894_1924. Gula produksinya berhasil memasok 60% kebutuhan di Hindia Belanda pada masa itu. Jingga akhirnya Oei Tiong Ham mendapat julukan orang terkaya di antara Shanghai dan Australia, serta disebut juga sebagai Raja Gula dari Jawa. Lima pabrik gulanya yang tersebar di Pulau Jawa, banyak menyerap tenaga kerja pribumi, baik laki - laki maupun perempuan, bahkan anak _ anak untuk dipekerjakan sebagai buruh. Dipabrik dan perkebunan tebunya, tanah pribumi pun banyak pula yang disewanya. Dengan kata lain, perusahaan Oei Tiong Ham tidak sedikit memberikan pengaruh bagi kehidupan dan penghidupan rakyat pribumi pada masa itu.
AbstractOei Tiong Ham was born as an Indonesian born Chinese in Semarang. The sugar business that he developed in his hometown has successfully turned him to be the richest slash multibillionaire businessman especially in 1894-1924. His sugar has fulfilled the need of sugar in Hindia Belanda as much as 60 %. Later, Oei Tiong Ham was considered as the richest man in Shanghai and Australia, and won the title as the sugar tycoon from Java. At that time, 5 of his sugar factory spread throughout Java Island. The business absorbed many local workers. Men, women, and even children were working as laborer in his sugar factories and estates. Not only that, he also rented local people's land. In short, his company gave a quite big contribution to the life and livehood of local people at that time.
