State formation, party system, and the prospect for democracy in Indonesia: The case of Golongan Karya (1967-1993)

This dissertation explores the relationship between state formation and the party system under the New Order regime in Indonesia (1967-1993), and how that relationship has shaped the prospect for democracy in that country.;GOLKAR is the focus because it represents a new phenomenon of Indonesian politics. It marks the first time in Indonesian history when a regime created its own political party. The New Order's party system, which is characterized by the absence of real competition for power, the emasculation of the other parties (the PPP and the PDI), and the intolerance of opposition parties, is supportive of the New Order authoritarian state. The latter is marked by the dominant role of the military, the extremely centralized administration, the excessively powerful executive vis-a-vis the powerless legislature, a minimally independent judiciary, and the persistent state control of the activities of social organizations.;However, while the state enjoys discretionary authority to rule, it also creates its own victims and therefore contenders. The emergence of a new generation of leadership in the PPP and PDI, which is relatively independent of state patronage and fearless of intimidation, is in fact becoming a threat to the continuation of the regime's project for political domination. Meanwhile, the number of critics and oppositionists among the intellectuals, social and religious leaders, is increasing over time. During the last two years, pressures on the regime to open up politically have become stronger. At the same time, two potential crises--legitimacy and leadership--have arisen. In short, what is going on now in Indonesia constitutes a fundamental change, a political transition that can proceed in many directions. It may move towards democratization. However, it may also move towards a more oppressive authoritarian rule.