Reinventing Indonesia

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 ShiraishiPresident, 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 BuehrerChief 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 BloomfieldExecutive Director, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard UniversityReinventing 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."

Author: Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Joseph J. Stern

Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Company Incorporated

Publication Date: Aug 21, 2015

Number of Pages: 291 pages

Language: English

Binding: Hardcover

ISBN-10: 9814596558

ISBN-13: 9789814596558