Under Indonesia's massive transmigration program, 490,000 families were moved in 1950-86. While the resettlement program initially sought to alleviate population pressure in overpopulated areas by sending families to the less populated regions of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Irian Jaya, it later placed greater emphasis on regional development and cultural assimilation. The Bedol Desa resettlement scheme, in operation from 1976-81, was the largest of its type and organized the move of 12,500 families from Wonogiri to Bengkulu. The project was motivated by deteriorating environmental conditions in Wonogiri, including extreme drought and flooding from dam waters. To help evaluate this project, which was the most costly transmigration effort to date, 119 of the 286 couples who chose to remain behind in the relocated village of Kedungrejo in Wonogiri and 57 of the 91 couples who resettled in Bengkulu in southern Sumatra were interviewed. Those remaining at Kedungrejo received compensation grants for flooded land and property; 44% used their grants to buy nonflooded land, 21% bought housing, 17% began livestock or poultry enterprises, and 12% invested in gold. Income opportunities outside of agriculture were sought by the majority, and an estimated 50% of families who remained in the area improved their socioeconomic status due to greater access to white-collar jobs and formal education. Those who moved to Bengkulu tended to be couples with little land in Wonogiri and few sources of income aside from trading and sharecropping. Settlers were able to produce adequate subsistence from the 2 hectare land parcels they were given in Bengkulu, but faced difficulties generating cash incomes. Settlers also faced inadequate health and educational services. Despite these problems, only 3% of respondents indicated regret in terms of joining the scheme and the labor-scarce conditions led to organized collective labor practices that promoted solidarity.