ABSTRACT

In Europe, people often say that the twentieth century came to an end with the turn of the tide in Berlin in 1989. In Asia it took another ten years. Here it was not statesocialism that was defeated but the West’s own authoritarian growth project that imploded. Now there is another historical chance. In Indonesia, the world’s third largest democracy is emerging. How shall we understand its problems and dynamics? How shall we go beyond the mainstream focus on Jakarta’s elitist political theatre? This is difficult. At the time of writing (early 2000), there continue to be more decisive reports in a week than had previously emerged in a year. In addition, they are unusually hard to sort and interpret. Many of the common perspectives contained within are subject to substantial revision as they are less than helpful in reading the unfolding of the crisis (not to talk of predicting it).