Small enterprises<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives has finally approved a bill that
\nwill empower and protect small and medium-size enterprises. The
\nbill was introduced in the House last July, and took only a few
\nmonths to be approved.<\/p>\n
As pointed out by Minister of Cooperatives and Small
\nEnterprises Subiakto Tjakrawerdaya, once enacted into law by
\nPresident Soeharto, it will provide a more conducive business
\nclimate for small firms to grow and develop. The development is
\nmost welcome in a country where more than 30 million enterprises
\nmake up the backbone of the economy.<\/p>\n
When our founding fathers assembled in 1945 to write our
\nConstitution, they did not envision a capitalistic society. Their
\nvision was embodied in Article 33, which states that \"the economy
\nshall be organized as a common endeavor based upon asas
\nkekeluargaan (the principle of the family system)\".<\/p>\n
The Constitution explained that the economy was to be \"based
\nupon economic democracy\" with \"prosperity for everybody.\" The
\nvision resembles the Gas and Water Socialism of the Fabian
\nSociety, a European concept which may have influenced our
\nfounding fathers. Many were being educated there when the idea of
\nsocial democracy was gaining ground.<\/p>\n
Implementing that vision, however, has not been made any
\neasier by 50 years of frustrated debate and poorly-designed
\npolicies. Another constraint is how to properly define an
\neconomic democracy vis-a-vis a family system, where the State has
\nthe controlling power. There has always been a tendency to avoid
\njuxtaposing the two concepts, when we should be investigating
\nwhere they contradict each other to find a solution.<\/p>\n
The country's small and medium-size enterprises have suffered
\nfrom this long debate. We have had to wait for 50 years before
\nour representatives could even formulate the definition of a
\nsmall enterprise. Even though their performances are not
\ndistinctly and sufficiently reflected in official statistics,
\nthey too are members of the family system mentioned in the
\nConstitution. When one talks about economic democracy, they are
\nsome of the most important constituents.<\/p>\n
One member of the House rightly pointed out that this new law
\ncould end up being more political rhetoric. Implementing the law
\nwill take strong political will, since many measures before did
\nlittle to develop small businesses.<\/p>\n
It is time that Article 33 be given a more realistic
\nformulation of what we mean by the family system, economic
\ndemocracy, and prosperity for everybody. It is about time as well
\nto constitutionally define when and where monopolies, oligopolies
\nand monopsonies are beneficial to the people, and when and where
\nthey are absolutely not so.<\/p>\n
Small enterprises have survived and have supported this
\ncountry for the last 50 years. They are not begging for help or
\nspecial favors. What they need is a conducive business climate so
\nthey can contribute more to the country.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/small-enterprises-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}