Prosperity only way to democracy, says UI scholar
Prosperity only way to democracy, says UI scholar
JAKARTA (JP): Prosperity will beget democracy in Indonesia as it has in other newly industrialized Asian countries, believes academic Nazaruddin Sjamsudin.
"Economic development is a pre-condition for democracy and political development," Nazaruddin said at the University of Indonesia.
The increasing prosperity of the Indonesian people after 25 years of development has fueled the demand for more political openness. To this, he added, the government has responded positively.
Despite the banning of several magazines and other unpopular moves, the government "appears to have allowed the wind of democracy to blow" in Indonesia, he said, citing worker strikes as an example. Once considered taboo, strikes are not only normal occurrences now but also widely covered by the media.
Nazaruddin presented his paper at the university's 46th anniversary and graduation ceremony on Saturday.
Nazaruddin, a professor from the university's School of Social and Political Sciences, said that the New Order government of President Soeharto has faithfully followed the slogan "Economy Yes, Politics No" since it came into existence in 1966, when the country's economy was in shambles.
For the next 25 years, he said, the government has pursued political stability to ensure economic progress.
"The situation is now far different. The current popular slogan is Economy Yes, Politics Yes," said the 51-year-old who obtained his masters degree and PhD in political science from Monash University in Australia.
He recalled Indonesia's experience of putting political development first during the parliamentary democracy era in the 1950s, which, he said, proved disastrous to the economy as well as the political situation.
Nazaruddin said many East and Southeast Asian countries, including Singapore and Malaysia, have become industrialized by putting economic development before political development.
In other Asian countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan, people are facing prolonged political turmoil and their economies are falling behind, he said.
The merits and shortcomings of Indonesia's experience, he argued, must be measured against the experience of other Asian countries.
"The basis for the development of democracy here will not come from some political policies or maneuvers. It is coming from the successful economic development.
"Nor was it born out of external pressures, as some people would have us believe. The international community cannot impose democracy on us if the very basis for it has not developed in our society," he added.
"Our experience shows that our ability to implement democracy improves in line with the increasing prosperity of the people, although not as rapidly as the economic growth rate."
Nazaruddin said the main obstacle to the development of democracy in Indonesia is the huge proportion of economically weak people and the millions living below the poverty line.
For this reason, he suggested that Indonesia distinguish between economic democracy and political democracy, and pursue the first rather than the latter.
"This way we can prevent as well as overcome the economic disparity that appears to be the driving force behind the demands for political democracy," he said. (31)