Suharto: A Political Biography
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Book Overview
General Suharto is synonymous with modern Indonesia. He became President amidst extreme social upheaval and mass violence in 1966 and retained his position until 1998. In this book R.E. Elson provides insights into a man who exerted extraordinary power and influence, presented himself as an infallible father of the nation, yet remained mysterious. Suharto sought to transform Indonesia into a strong, united and economically prosperous nation-state, yet after half a century of influence, he is remembered as much for extensive human rights abuse and unprecedented corruption. As Indonesia emerges from the political numbness that characterized his era, its future seems precarious. R.E. Elson is Professor, School of Asian and International Studies at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia and Director of Griffith Asia Pacific Council. He is the author of The End of Peasantry in Southeast Asia (Palgrave, 1997) and The Politics of Colonial Expansion (Southeast Asia Program Publications, 1992).
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:0521773261
ISBN13:9780521773263
Release Date:February 2002
Publisher:Cambridge University Press
Length:412 Pages
Weight:1.80 lbs.
Dimensions:1.3" x 6.7" x 9.0"
Customer Reviews
1 rating
The Embarrassing Dictator
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
Indonesians are rather embarrassed about their past these days, except for the glorious Revolution in the 1940s when they expelled the Dutch colonialists. They seem to want to forget about the man who ruled them for thirty years, though some ordinary Indonesians yearn for the stability and predictability of that time. Elson's biography is meticulously researched, readable and comprehensive, and provides an irreplaceable introduction to a crucial period, which still influences Indonesia, despite the extraordinary democratisation which has taken place. Despite appearances, many political patterns, especially those of elite politics, economic exploitation and corruption, are little changed from Suharto's time.
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