Max Havelaar: Trump Card Bluff Edition (Coffee, Colonialism, And Trade.)

When Multatuli wrote Max Havelaar in 1860, he exposed the corruption of colonial coffee auctions and the way powerful elites profited while ordinary people paid the price. More than a novel, it was a weapon—an indictment of trade monopolies and political deception.

This Trump Card Bluff Edition brings the classic into today’s world with new annotations and a bonus chapter drawing direct parallels between colonial exploitation and modern tariff wars. From Dutch traders to Trump-era protectionism, the pattern is clear: the powerful bluff, and the public pays.

This edition also includes curated sample selections from the Phantom Vibes library, giving readers a first look at other works exploring coffee, tea, trade, and rebellion.

Max Havelaar is not just history—it’s a mirror, reflecting how easily liberty is bartered away under the guise of strength.