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Peasants and Policymakers, Agricultural transformation in Java under Suharto

Axelsson, Tobias LU (2008) In Lund Studies in Economic History 45.
Abstract
Following the East Asian success story Indonesia also subscribed to a model with increased productivity, income and equity through modernisation of agriculture.

When it was hit by a severe crisis in 1997, Indonesia was regarded as one of the up and coming tigers of Southeast Asia. The crisis indicated that something was seriously wrong in the structure of the economy necessitating a re-examination of the Indonesian model of development. This is done here through a closer look at the agricultural transformation process in Java under Suharto. Many a study was carried out prior to the crisis in order to explain the great success of the Indonesian regime, but once rice self sufficiency was achieved the interest of researchers waned... (More)
Following the East Asian success story Indonesia also subscribed to a model with increased productivity, income and equity through modernisation of agriculture.

When it was hit by a severe crisis in 1997, Indonesia was regarded as one of the up and coming tigers of Southeast Asia. The crisis indicated that something was seriously wrong in the structure of the economy necessitating a re-examination of the Indonesian model of development. This is done here through a closer look at the agricultural transformation process in Java under Suharto. Many a study was carried out prior to the crisis in order to explain the great success of the Indonesian regime, but once rice self sufficiency was achieved the interest of researchers waned and a complete image of agricultural transformation under Suharto was never formed.

This book shows that Indonesia commenced the transformation process, but did not see it through and, as a consequence, the economy was investment driven rather than agriculturally led. It could be argued that the process stalled as a consequence of the farmers being averse to change and modernity but this book shows that he reason for the slowdown in change must be sought in the state’s actions since it was the driving force behind the transformation of agriculture. It also shows that the motives for change were urban rather than rural. The end result was that the development process was not dynamic enough to generate its own growth and Javanese agriculture was still vulnerable and the country could not sustain the blow when the crisis hit in 1997. (Less)
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author
supervisor
opponent
  • Prof. Booth, Anne, School of African and Oriental Studies, London
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
development policy, agriculture, Indonesia, technological change, institutional change, Economic History, equity
in
Lund Studies in Economic History
volume
45
pages
192 pages
publisher
Holmbergs
defense location
Ekonomihögskolan EC3:210
defense date
2008-03-19 10:15:00
ISSN
1400-4860
ISBN
978-91-628-7400-1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3d5456d6-5461-47a7-984b-14236c08a95e (old id 1033278)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:11:53
date last changed
2019-05-21 18:44:49
@phdthesis{3d5456d6-5461-47a7-984b-14236c08a95e,
  abstract     = {{Following the East Asian success story Indonesia also subscribed to a model with increased productivity, income and equity through modernisation of agriculture.<br/><br>
	When it was hit by a severe crisis in 1997, Indonesia was regarded as one of the up and coming tigers of Southeast Asia. The crisis indicated that something was seriously wrong in the structure of the economy necessitating a re-examination of the Indonesian model of development. This is done here through a closer look at the agricultural transformation process in Java under Suharto. Many a study was carried out prior to the crisis in order to explain the great success of the Indonesian regime, but once rice self sufficiency was achieved the interest of researchers waned and a complete image of agricultural transformation under Suharto was never formed. <br/><br>
	This book shows that Indonesia commenced the transformation process, but did not see it through and, as a consequence, the economy was investment driven rather than agriculturally led. It could be argued that the process stalled as a consequence of the farmers being averse to change and modernity but this book shows that he reason for the slowdown in change must be sought in the state’s actions since it was the driving force behind the transformation of agriculture. It also shows that the motives for change were urban rather than rural. The end result was that the development process was not dynamic enough to generate its own growth and Javanese agriculture was still vulnerable and the country could not sustain the blow when the crisis hit in 1997.}},
  author       = {{Axelsson, Tobias}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-628-7400-1}},
  issn         = {{1400-4860}},
  keywords     = {{development policy; agriculture; Indonesia; technological change; institutional change; Economic History; equity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Holmbergs}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  series       = {{Lund Studies in Economic History}},
  title        = {{Peasants and Policymakers, Agricultural transformation in Java under Suharto}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/3836901/1033284.pdf}},
  volume       = {{45}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}