When an economic crash came because the price of sugar fell due to emerging competition from Brazil, he adjusted and repaid much of the debt incurred under his predecessor.

He also enacted a number of cultural policies, obliging men to cut their long hair and made saluting unnecessary.

He also brought tables and chairs into meetings that had previously been conducted sitting on the floor and allowed the people to embrace Christianity.

[4] At one point, Nederlandsch-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij, a Dutch private railroad company was foreclosed for failure to pay taxes.

Mangkunegara VI wished to make his son the crown prince, he was vetoed by a group of relatives and the Dutch Colonial government.

[13] In testimony Partini Mangkunegara VI said that on 11 January 1916 he quietly resigned and went with the whole family to Surabaya.

[14] In Surabaya his son and daughter KPA Suyono Handayaningrat and RMP Hatmosurono were active in the movement of Budi Utomo and together with Dr. Sutomo founded the political party named Parindra.

[15] When Mangkunegara VI died he was buried in Astana Utoro Nayu Surakarta.

Mangkunegara VI chose Surabaya as a place in the old days to prepare his son and daughter to continue the concept of state that can not be implemented through a Duchy.