Indonesians want more globalization

indonesia ▪ policy ▪

...according to this survey. Asked the following:

Overall do you think economic globalization, including trade and investment, is growing much too quickly, a bit too quickly, a bit too slowly, or much too slowly?

more than half of the representative respondents in Indonesia think that the current growth of globalization is too slow (39% thinks it's a bit too slowly, another 15% much too slowly). Only 40% think that the current pace of globalization is either a bit or much too fast. Surprised?



HT: Dani Rodrik

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Islam in Indonesia

indonesia ▪ religion ▪

The Economist writes this sobering piece on Islam in Indonesia:

In Indonesia, unlike most Muslim countries, the ideological struggle between various forms of Islam is being fought largely by democratic means. The violent and the intolerant are still at the margins and, while the country's steady progress persists, look likely to stay there.

Saiful Mujani, an Indonesian political scientist, could have told you that years ago. From his article (co-authored with Bill Liddle) in the New York Times almost half a decade ago, a year after the Bali bombing:

Surely, with attacks like [the Bali and Marriott Hotel bombing], politically militant Islam is on the rise in Indonesia?

Surprisingly, the answer is no. Survey and election results show that the number of Islamists, Muslims who want an Islamic state, is no more than 15 percent of the total Indonesian Muslim population of 200 million. The remaining 85 percent are moderately or strongly opposed to an Islamic state. Most important and least recognized in the current climate of fear in the non-Muslim world, Islamism as a political ideology appears to be losing ground in Indonesia, not gaining it.

[I was annoyed he didn't get interviewed for the article, but anyway]. Also worth reading, his award-winning dissertation on Indonesian muslims and democratic values. Using Indonesian data and some simple statistics, he provided empirical evidence against hypotheses (most famously made by Samuel Huntington) suggesting that Islam must necessarily be incompatible with democracy. Indonesia seems to have proven them otherwise.

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RIP: M. Sadli

economists ▪ indonesia ▪

Last night, M. Sadli, an important Indonesian policy economist dubbed one of the "four men that changed Indonesia" by ANU's Hal Hill passed away. Here is Hill on Sadli's economic commentary (from this article from FEER):

Three key elements have always been present in these commentaries. First, the importance of sound "first principles" in economic policy, whether it be macroeconomics, trade and industry policy or social issues. The second has been keeping a watchful eye on the public-policy debates, the complex, fluid political economy equations, and how they are likely to impinge on outcomes. And third, in debates which have often been parochial and sometimes conspiratorial, Mr. Sadli has always been quick to remind his readership of the international dimensions, ranging from the lessons of other countries in transition from crises to the latest writings in development economics. Mr. Sadli has also straddled business and academe with ease, more effectively than anybody else in Indonesia. As the architect of Indonesia's liberal foreign-investment policies in 1967 and from his tenure as minister for mining in the 1970s, he retains close connections with the international business community, and has played a major role in educating them about Indonesian political economy.

Pak Sadli will be sorely missed.

HT: Arianto Patunru.

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Arianto Patunru on Indonesia in 2007

indonesia ▪ policy ▪

Arianto Patunru, an economist and the Deputy Director of the Institute of Economic and Social Research in Indonesia, offers his take on Indonesia in 2007.

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