High-minded rhetoric on IMF unhelpful<\/p>\n
Political scientist J. Soedjati Djiwandono wrestles
\nwith the emerging issues of nationalism and liberalism amid
\nreports of a delay in loan installments from the International
\nMonetary Fund (IMF).<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The majority of reactions to a reported delay in
\nIMF loan installments to Indonesia have been impulsive, excessive
\nand may very well have been counterproductive.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is not in a position to act in such a manner toward
\nthe IMF. The IMF has the backing of the major world economic
\npowers and has much less to lose, if it can lose at all, than
\nIndonesia, which is in a desperate situation.<\/p>\n
Opportunities to claim \"independence\" and \"self-sufficiency\"
\nare becoming increasingly scarce in the interdependent modern
\nworld.<\/p>\n
To say that the IMF package violates the 1945 Constitution
\nreflects a lack of prudence on the part of the Indonesian
\ngovernment when they agreed to the deal.<\/p>\n
Even worse, it was the President himself who signed the
\nagreement. Soeharto is renowned for his zealous interpretation of
\nthe letter, if not the spirit, of the Constitution.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, to argue that the IMF package would result in a
\nliberal economic system is hypocritical because in fact we have
\nbeen trying to develop just such a system ourselves, although not
\nwith great consistency.<\/p>\n
Liberalization and a liberal system are part and parcel of the
\nchanges brought by globalization, an unavoidable reality for all
\ncountries of the world. In this light, must we reject all forms
\nof outside interference?<\/p>\n
Political terms are elastic. Roles played by external powers
\ntend to be referred to as help, aid, assistance or cooperation,
\nif gladly received. However, when outside attention becomes
\nunwelcome terms such as external interference and intervention in
\nour domestic affairs are bandied around.<\/p>\n
The IMF represents a body of nation states. In the world of
\ninternational relations the behavior of nation-states is governed
\nby how to best represent selfish national interests at any given
\ntime. Altruism is never a factor in foreign policy.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the notion of aid without strings is a myth. The
\nterm is diplomatic jargon and should be understood as such.
\nHowever, a small degree of hypocrisy can help human
\nrelationships, and at the final analysis, relations between
\nstates are relations between individual human beings acting on
\nbehalf of national interests.<\/p>\n
On a guarded note, one should be cautious in drawing upon
\nreferences to the pride and dignity of the nation. The pride and
\ndignity of the nation stems from the pride and dignity of the
\nindividuals who are its constituent parts.<\/p>\n
Under monetary, financial, and economic pressures, more and
\nmore people are losing their jobs. To ordinary people, a job
\ncements a lifestyle and is a recognition of human dignity. Thus
\nto lose a job, except of one's own free will, is to lose dignity
\nand self-respect.<\/p>\n
It is easy for the affluent and powerful to be glib about
\nnationalism, national pride and national dignity. But for the
\ncommon people, the poor and downtrodden, the jobless and the
\nneedy, the daily struggle to get enough to eat is a more
\npertinent question.<\/p>\n
Their stomachs cannot wait, and they cannot stomach high
\nrhetoric. But they understand human dignity and self-respect.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/high-minded-rhetoric-on-imf-unhelpful-1447893297",
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