Drifting toward liberalism

Various indicators suggest that globalization is gradually turning the world into a unified entity.

Among the most spectacular consequences of this trend has been the collapse of communism as a political, economic and state administrative system. Aside from this, the trend is moving toward the emergence of an open political, economic and cultural system.

In the meantime, there are indications that the proponents of liberalism are trying to steer the current global trend toward orthodox liberalism, which adheres to the "survival of the fittest" motto. It is this kind of thinking that is evident, for example, in certain political circles in the United States, that persist in wielding human rights as a political weapon.

In answer to this challenge, President Soeharto has offered a partnership system. The system was adopted by the 1993 Tenth Non- Aligned Summit in Jakarta and, subsequently, the AELM (Asia- Pacific Economic Leaders Meeting) in Bogor, in 1994.

Whereas freedom under liberalism, in practice, means that one is allowed to wipe out the adversary, freedom under the partnership concept is aimed at encouraging a healthy competition that brings profits to all the partners involved.

It was apparently with this in mind that President Soeharto, in his State of the Nation address, urged all countries to work together more closely in an attempt to surmount monetary upheavals of a regional or international nature.

Any effort, however, must start at home. There will always be upheavals and speculative undertakings and the President proffered some advice to overcome such problems.

"The key lies in our own economic resilience, in the resilience of our business community, in our self-confidence and in a common stance shared by the government and our own domestic economic actors," the President said.

-- Suara Karya, Jakarta