ABSTRACT
Remarkable changes have taken place in Indonesia over the last 10 years. Statistics produced by the World Bank (though we may be worried by the distortions implicit in such generalized figures) inform us that: primary-school enrolment has doubled since 1971; infant mortality has declined by 25 per cent since 1969; life expectancy has increased by 6 years since 1969; there are now 2,500 calories available on average to each person per day, compared to 2,097 calories in 1970; adult literacy is now 62 per cent as against 39 per cent in 1960; and GNP (gross national product) per capita is now US$ 530, whereas it was only US$ 100 in 1972. These are no mean achievements. Indonesia has also shown that it can weather a downturn in oil prices and at least one poor harvest (1982) without deep trouble. Few other Third World countries can claim this. 1
