Reinventing Indonesia

Reinventing Indonesia presents an insider's view of the tumultuous transition that took place in Indonesia from 1997 to 2004. This was a period of unprecedented changes in democratized governance and decentralizing power throughout the country amidst significant economic turmoil. The results of these changes were not pre-ordained, but were the result of the social forces unleashed by the Asian Financial Crisis and the end of the New Order as well as the deft guidance of key policymakers. The book also examines the origins of the economic crisis of the late 1990s in Indonesia and the actions taken to address the crisis during those difficult years. The authors were directly involved in many of the events recounted in this book, particularly Ginandjar Kartasasmita through his career in the Indonesian government under various ministerial positions. Thus, the book provides insights that could only come from those directly involved in the decision-making. It also explains the transitions that occurred in Indonesia in the context of academic theories of democratic transition and consolidation, thereby adding to the body of knowledge in this area. The Indonesian story holds lessons, therefore, for the management of financial crisis, and for the urgency of reform and development of economic and political institutions. Contents:Introduction: From Independence to Democracy, a 60-Year JourneyThe Rise of the Indonesian EconomyThe Early Reform Period: 1983–1993Explaining the DemiseThe Crisis: 1997–1999The Chaos that FollowedOn the Way to Recovery and DemocracyDemocratic Consolidation: The Unfinished BusinessSignificant Milestones: Constitutional Reform and 2004 ElectionsPostscript: Promises and Challenges Readership: Academics, undergraduates and graduates, and policymakers in Asian politics; general readers with an interest in Southeast Asia. Key Features:Interprets the events of the transition period in Indonesia (primarily from 1997 to 2004) in the context of the literature on democratic transition and economic policy analysis, in an accessible mannerProvides key insights into the process of constitutional revision that laid the foundation for today's democratic institutions in IndonesiaDraws on the authors' unique perspectives as a participant in many of the major events of the periodKeywords:Indonesia;New Order;Megawati Sukarnoputri;Gus Dur;Abdurrahman Wahid;Habibie;Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono;Democracy;Consolidation;Decentralization;MPR;DPR;Asian Financial CrisisReviews: “In this book, we learn a great deal about what went wrong in the final years under President Suharto, how policymakers understood the problems confronting Indonesia, and what they did to overcome the political and economic crises. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the collapse of Indonesia's New Order regime and the transition from centralized authoritarianism to decentralized democracy, as well as the causes and consequences of the East Asian Economic Crisis.” Professor Takashi Shiraishi President, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Japan “Professor Ginandjar Kartasasmita and Dr Joseph J Stern offer a unique, detailed, and well-documented account of the last years of the New Order and the first years of Reformasi. Their book blends an insider's view of the events of that period with scholarly insights that place events within a larger intellectual framework. At the same time, they bring out the personalities at play during this period and highlight the importance of individual choices by historically important figures. I was struck time and again by how different the result could have been if leaders of a different character had been in charge at critical moments. This volume should be required reading for anyone studying this turbulent period of Indonesia's history.” Timothy Buehrer Chief of Party, ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) The ASEAN Secretariat, Indonesia “Co-authored by a key architect of the Indonesian reforms and a keen longtime observer, Reinventing Indonesia is a fascinating analysis of political and economic change in a vast, complex, and important country. With ten years of useful hindsight and with our growing knowledge of how other countries have fared in their own transitions, we now know that such peace and prosperity as Indonesia has achieved are to be preciously valued and carefully protected. Not only is Indonesia to be praised, but the world should study and heed its good example.” Steven B Bloomfield Executive Director, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University

Largely ignored for decades, the World Bank increasingly finds itself at the center of an international political maelstrom. Attacked by the Right as the last bastion of socialism and by the Left as an instrument of economic imperialism, the Bank has struggled to adapt to a changing post-Cold War era. Still the world's leading development institution in terms of size and influence, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development's failure to articulate and implement a convincing strategy to reduce world poverty has left it vulnerable to the charge that, at least in its present form, it has outlived its usefulness.In a book neither funded nor controlled by its subject, leading North American and British scholars critically examine the World Bank. They contend that an institution that has grown to unmanageable proportions through internally driven change cannot realistically be expected to effect its own reform program. All the Bank's previous attempts at self-redesign have failed, and the contributors argue it is beyond reform; it must be reinvented.Reinvention involves a thoroughgoing and externally controlled process of transformation, starting from basic principles and encompassing three closely related dimensions: operations, or the fit between the Bank's lending program and its development objectives; concepts, its vision of development and anti-poverty strategy; and power, which includes the Bank's relationships with member countries and the wider public, as well as structures of internal governance and accountability.

Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country, is undergoing a profound transformation that could lead to a variety of outcomes, from the consolidation of democracy to return to authoritarianism or military rule, to radical Islamic rule, or to violent disintegration. The stakes are high, for Indonesia is the key to Southeast Asian security. The authors examine the trends and dynamics that are driving Indonesia's transformation, outline possible strategic futures and their implications for regional stability, and identify options the United States might pursue in the critical challenge of influencing Indonesia's future course. Steps the United States might take now include support for Indonesia's stability and territorial integrity, reestablishment of Indonesian-U.S. military cooperation and interaction, aid in rebuilding a constructive Indonesian role in regional security, and support for development of a regional crisis reaction force. A continued strong U.S. presence in the Asia-Pacific region will reinforce the U.S. role as regional balancer.

This book provides a comprehensive study of Indonesia's contemporary foreign policy engagement with Africa, highlighting the archipelago’s recent reawakening to the continent. It explores thoughts on Afro-Asian relations in general and their future in the changing geopolitical context. It provides a vision of Indonesia’s foreign policy and political situation at the highest level of leadership. It places Indonesia in a multi-comparison context, which helps us reconsider Indonesia today and widens our views on Indonesia’s needs to be better known through new perspectives and voices able to better convey the realities of its polity, aspirations, and complexities. It proposes, through the study of Indonesia’s African endeavour, to better grasp the contemporary Indonesian Zeitgeist and Weltanschauung. It also analyses the political power alliance formed by President Jokowi and former General Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, leading a state-led development through state capitalism, mobilising State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). The Bandung Conference host aspires to project its domestic development achievements towards Africa, focusing on Africa for Africa and not merely as part of a sometimes-abstract Afro-Asian discourse. Nonetheless, Afro-Asianism continues to be mobilised to facilitate market penetration and serve domestic interests. The book shows how Indonesia’s foreign policy toward Africa relates to domestic political contestation and consolidation, political legacy and commodity-based industrial policy, and Chinese and “China in Africa” networks and ideational influence, foremost among other networks of influence in the Jokowi era. The book also underlines how Indonesia’s knowledge production and academic deficiencies negatively impact its foreign policy capabilities, notably as a potential robust alternative partner for Africa. It will be beneficial for students, academicians, researchers, and diplomats.

Indonesia's Muslims are still pondering the role of religion in public life. Although the religious violence marring the transition towards democratic reform has ebbed, the Muslim community has polarised into reactionary and progressive camps with increasingly antagonistic views on the place of Islam in society. Debates over the underlying principles of democratisation have further heated up after a fatwa issued by conservative religious scholars condemned secularism, pluralism and liberalism as un-Islamic. With a hesitant government dominated by Indonesia's eternal political elites failing to take a clear stance, supporters of the decision are pursuing their Islamisation agendas with renewed vigour, displaying growing intolerance towards other religions and what they consider deviant Muslim minorities. Extremist and radical exponents of this Islamist bloc receive more international media coverage and scholarly attention than their progressive opponents who are defiantly challenging this reactionary trend. Calling for a true transformation of Indonesian society based on democratic principles and respect for human rights, they insist that this depends on secularisation, religious toleration, and freethinking. Conceived as a contemporary history of ideas, this book aims to tell the story of these open- minded intellectuals and activists in the world's largest Muslim country.

Managing Indonesia''s Transformation: An Oral History is an account of Ginandjar Kartasasmita''s career in the Indonesian government, both under President Suharto and in the post-Suharto era. Based on all the ministerial positions in which Kartasasmita has served the government, the book provides readers candid insights into the domestic and international political and economic contexts in which decisions were made, and how policies were formulated and implemented in Indonesia.The book contains many hours of interviews in which the author responds OCo as frankly as he can OCo to all sorts of questions from a group of scholars and specialists working on Indonesian politics and political economy, with the understanding that the book is for those who want to understand Indonesian politics, both past and present.

Covers Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam.