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| History: The Impact of Authoritarian Rule |
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More than three decades of authoritarian rule have left a lasting impression on Indonesian society and have impeded its ability to confront the recent crises. Government institutions have for many years been plagued with no longer acceptable levels of inefficiency, incompetence, lack of respect for the rule of law, and corruption. The authoritarian regime also prevented the development of the healthy civil society required for a vibrant democracy. Authoritarian structures prevented participation in government, and ideological teaching methods in schools and universities as well as the controlled media have meant that the Indonesian masses today have only a scant understanding of the importance of civil society. The legacy of New Order “top down” approaches to conflict prevention and management have left citizens unprepared to deal with everything from human rights abuses to the need for improved sanitation. Please click here for more discussion on the need for the development of civil society.
The current crises in Indonesia are to a significant extent the product of the experience of decades of authoritarian rule followed by its collapse. In order to move forward, it may be helpful for Indonesia to devote energy to understanding the years of Suharto’s New Order. Such efforts may help civil society and the government come to terms with the past.
Please click here to discuss this issue in our online forum. |
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