“Indonesia today offers an inspiring example of how democracy, development and stability can be made to work together to enhance a nation’s prestige and influence on the global stage. Amitav Acharya’s Indonesia Matters is an insightful account of the foreign policy of the world’s largest Muslim country, demonstrating how democratic transformation strengthened Indonesia’s leadership in ASEAN, the Asia Pacific, and the world at large.”
Surin Pitsuwan
Former Foreign Minister of Thailand and Secretary-General of ASEAN (2008-12)
“Can a major new power rise in the community of nations without threatening its neighbours, destabilizing existing arrangements, and producing an arms race? This is a major question for this century, after the past one in which Germany and Japan established such alarming precedents. China and India do not provide much reassurance that we are wiser than we were. Indonesia, however, with one of the lowest arms expenditures in the world either per capita or in relation to GNP looks a promising case for an alternative model. This book is a very timely study of a critical issue for our times.”
Anthony Reid
Emeritus Professor
College of Asia and the Pacific Australian National University
“Amitav Acharya has produced a timely and illuminating examination of Indonesia’s foreign policy since the establishment of democracy after Suharto’s period in power. Drawing on extensive interviews and keen observations, Amitav skilfully traces the evolution of Indonesia’s diplomacy from its modest regional roots to the rarefied world of global engagement. This is an important book and a necessary read for all those who follow Indonesia’s remarkable ascent.”
Kurt Campbell
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (2009-13)
Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world after China, India and the United States. It is also the world’s largest Muslim majority country and the third largest democracy. Its economy is currently 10th largest on the global scale. Indonesia is recognized as an emerging power, a respected member of the international community. It plays an important role not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but also in the world at large.
Indonesia has defied the grim predictions about its imminent collapse following the ouster of Suharto in 1998. Its ability to rebuild and reinvigorate itself into its current status is one of the most impressive stories of the late 20th and early 21st century. Its journey since the fall of Suharto is inspir- ing at a time when the world has seen many failing nations, recurring economic crises, and growing radicalism and terrorism. Yet, the Indonesian story receives far less attention than the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).
The Indonesian story suggests a different pathway to emerging power status. This pathway is based not so much on military or economic resources. Rather, it lies in the ability of a country to devel- op a positive, virtuous correlation among three factors: democracy, development and stability, while pursuing a foreign policy of restraint towards neighbours and active engagement with the world at large.
This is the key lesson from the story of Indonesia that this book seeks to present. It analyses Indonesia’s foreign policy and international role under the democratic regime, with particular focus on its role as a leader of ASEAN, its relationship with the major powers of the Asia Pacific, and its place in the global order of the 21st century.
