Constitutional Change and Democracy in Indonesia
The journey of democracy in a diverse Muslim-majority nation
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Cambridge University Press
Published:25th Mar '13
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£75.00(9781107027275)
This book narrates how Indonesia established democracy post-authoritarianism, highlighting its unique constitutional reform process and peaceful political transitions.
In Constitutional Change and Democracy in Indonesia, Donald L. Horowitz explores the intricate journey of Indonesia as it transitioned from an authoritarian regime to a democratic society. Following the fall of the Suharto regime in 1998, the nation faced significant challenges, including a deadlock over a new constitution and rising tensions between Islamic and secular factions. Rather than succumbing to violence, Indonesia opted for a gradual approach to constitutional reform, enabling consensus-building and facilitating multiple elections that ultimately led to a peaceful transfer of power.
Horowitz meticulously documents the insider-driven process that characterized Indonesia's democratization, highlighting the importance of constitutional amendments that allowed for a more inclusive political landscape. By adopting a step-by-step approach, the country successfully avoided the potential conflicts that could have arisen from immediate and radical reforms. The amended constitution emerged as a fundamentally democratic framework, steering Indonesia away from the brink of polarization and violence.
The author also delves into the broader implications of Indonesia's experience, placing it within the context of global constitutional design and intergroup conflict. By examining both the achievements and shortcomings of the new institutions, Constitutional Change and Democracy in Indonesia provides valuable insights into the complexities of sustaining democracy in a diverse society. This narrative sheds light on the delicate balance between tradition and reform in a nation striving for unity and stability amidst its rich cultural tapestry.
'The country's remarkable steps toward democracy have inspired a recent proliferation of original works, and this is one of the best … Its politics long ignored, the world's fourth-largest country is now firmly on the academic scene, and in Horowitz's hands adding new insights about the process of democratic transitions. Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, research and professional collections.' E. V. Schneier, Choice
'Horowitz's excellent Constitutional Change and Democracy in Indonesia provides a compelling account of Indonesia's transformation from an authoritarian regime to a constitutional democracy, detailing why particular models and institutions came to be chosen over various alternatives … Horowitz's work is impressively rigorous and comprehensive.' Simon Butt, Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia
'Horowitz's study of the post-1998 Indonesian constitution-making process, its outcomes and its consequences has the depth of an area specialist's work, and yet the theoretical embedding of political science at its best.' Adriaan Bedner, Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia
'Indonesia remains the only country in Southeast Asia to be rated 'free' in Freedom House's annual survey of political rights and civil liberties. In the wider context of the Muslim world, certainly, this rare situation is significant in showing that this combination of Islam and constitutionalism can lead to the checks-and-balances mechanisms that are vital to democracy. Donald L. Horowitz's brilliant book Constitutional Change and Democracy in Indonesia evaluates and explains the process, the outcome and the ongoing struggle of the Indonesian democracy.' Nadirsyah Hosen, Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia
'Constitutional Change and Democracy in Indonesia is a complex and fascinating book that should become an essential reference for scholars of party competition and institutional development in Indonesia.' Thomas B. Pepinsky, Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies
'In this remarkable book, Donald Horowitz finds the answer to Indonesia's democratic resilience in a medley of factors: starting conditions, fortuitous timing, consensual elites and viscous but free-moving social forces, producing a benign kinetic that he labels 'multipolar fluidity' … Horowitz offers a sumptuous and thoughtful account. His book will hold obvious appeal for the legions of dedicated Indonesianists.' William Case, Pacific Affairs
'Rich in empirical detail as well as comparative reflections, Horowitz's book provides a masterful step-by-step account of how Indonesia chose a 'gradual, insider-dominated, elections-first [approach to] constitution making' (p. 262), and how this particular choice helped Indonesia to consolidate its democracy … Horowitz's book is the best to appear so far on Indonesia's surprising emergence as one of the great democratic success stories of the last two decades.' Marcus Mietzner, Journal of Democracy
''Democracy without democrats' - that is how Indonesia since 1998 could be described … So should we admire it, or condemn it? This is the puzzle Donald Horowitz addresses in this magisterial book.' Gerry van Klinken, Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia
'… Donald L. Horowitz's Constitutional Change and Democracy in Indonesia … delivers an incredibly detailed and often fascinating narrative.' Dirk Tomsa, Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs
ISBN: 9781107641150
Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 19mm
Weight: 470g
342 pages