Democratic Transition and Political Development in Post-Soeharto Indonesia‪.‬

Introduction: The Difficult Path towards Democratization Indonesia is in a historic period of transition from authoritarian governance to laying the foundation for constitutional liberalism and a democratic political structure. The experiment has brought both ecstasy and agony for the people of Indonesia. On the one hand, the transition has opened up unprecedented freedom, giving them for the first time a choice to elect their own leaders and the liberty to organize themselves in the way they prefer. On the other, the removal of the lid on politics has opened up a Pandora's box, fomented ethnic and religious conflicts, and even encouraged regional separatism, thereby creating political and economic uncertainties. The spread of democracy in Indonesia has by no means eradicated all forms of political repression or conflict, but it has tremendously increased the number of people who enjoy freedom, and fostered hope that the bitterness of the Soeharto era and the old restrictive political practices would not be repeated. Since many of those wishes and expectations have not been fulfilled--particularly with regard to the declining purchasing power of ordinary Indonesians, the dimming prospect of the economic recovery, and law and order-the transition has also brought a desire for stability and a nostalgia for some for the more predictable days of Soeharto.