ABSTRACT
The economic benefits expected to accrue to parents are generally manifested in the form of additional labor power and the provision of security in old age, and Indonesian children appear to be conscientious providers of both. Many women from the lower end of the socioeconomic scale never discuss topics such as contraception or family size preferences with their husbands. According to H. Geertz, there are several possible combinations of husband-wife labor allocation within the Indonesian household. While a certain amount of controversy remains as to which factors have been most responsible for determining the roles women are expected to play in the Indonesian family and society, it is clear that the several legal systems in Indonesia have been among the forces central to the process. According to governmental reports, women have played important roles in Indonesian political life since before the introduction of the Islamic religion and Dutch colonial rule.
