SOCIAL PROTEST IN CONTEMPORARY INDONESIA

Abstract

Social protest in contemporary Indonesia is brought about by four important processes going on in the world lately namely modernization, globalization, westernization and democratization. These processes we can see in contemporary Indonesia gaining speed in the 21 century. There impact varies in different regions of the country, on various social groups of Indonesian population. As a consequence forms and modes of the social protest are different in diverse regions of the country and among various social and ethnic groups. Spontaneous social movements triggered by the drastic fall of the living condition of the wide masses of the country’s population are the most dangerous to the ruling elite. Certain steps of the local authorities which allow big business to exploit mineral and land resources and as a consequence deny local population of traditional sources of their livelihood derive strong protests and waves of mass demonstrations. Globalization which penetrates the country’s economy, political and social democratization and westernization provoke protest movements under Islamic banners and increase Islamic trends in Indonesian society. Nevertheless we may draw a conclusion that political risks following from social protest movements in contemporary Indonesia appeared to be minimal both to the ruling authorities and to the stability of the country’s political system.