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| Society & Culture: Role of Political and Social Elite in Reform |
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The significant gap between the elite and the majority of Indonesians can be seen in their differing views on reform. According to many observers, “reform” to
the elite meant gaining access to the prerogatives previously reserved for the small circle surrounding Suharto. Having now secured access to political power and
lucrative business deals, the elite has ceased to insist on further reform and instead seek order and stability. Many believe that the elite are inherently conservative,
unwilling to imperil their advantages.
For other Indonesians, much remains to be gained from reform. They clamor for greater political participation, fair judicial processes, the routing of corruption
and greater openness and transparency in government. Many areas remain underdeveloped, and the people are poor and without effective representation. Further
democratization and decentralization would require a new relationship between all citizens and their government, not only among the political elite.
Some observers believed that the forces of globalization and the need to vie in the competitive global capital and goods markets would encourage elite
reform. Yet in Indonesia, it appears to some that the elite have effectively secured the benefits of globalization without seeing the need for change.
The elite hold much of the power in Indonesian society, the middle class remains fairly weak, and social mobility is low. Involvement of the elite in reform
is therefore likely to be necessary for effective democratization.
Recommendations:
- Projects that educate the elite on reform should be considered and supported.
- Efforts could be made to understand how the incentive structure facing the elite affects its willingness to engage in reform.
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