The struggle to regain effective government under democracy in Indonesia*

The interactive impact of press freedom and media reach on corruption

“…There is a strong body of research that demonstrates an empirical link between democracy and reduced corruption (Langseth, 1999;Chowdhury, 2004;Kolstad and Wiig, 2011). However, others suggest the evidence is insubstantial (Rock, 2007;Mohtadi and Roe, 2003;McLeod, 2005). Some argue there is simply no relationship between the two variables (Ades and Di Tella, 1999;Fisman and Gatti, 2002).…”

Corruption and Democracy

“…Mohatdi and Roe (2003: 445) comment on this phenomenon in Russia, Turkey and Latin America. Knowledgeable observers in Indonesia (Rock, 2003;Robison and Hadiz, 2004;McLeod, 2005) and Thailand (Ammar 1997;Pasuk and Baker, 1998;Rock, 2000;Hicken, 2001;Case, 2002) agree that corruption rose in both countries following democratisation as the collapse of centralised networks of corruption gave way to more corrosive and decentralised corruption free-for-alls. More recent evidence shows that corruption has been falling in both countries .…”

What can Indonesia learn from China's industrial energy saving programs?

“…Sceptics who have watched Indonesia gain democracy at the expense of effective government (McLeod 2005) probably wonder whether these ratings tell us much. But this comparison is not likely to surprise China experts, who know that administrative decentralisation before and after reform, alongside a balkanisation of policy making, has contributed to a significant number of bureaucratic pathologies -blocked leadership, minority veto and control by the organisedthat undermine policy making and policy implementation (Lardy 1978;Naughton 1992;Lieberthal and Lampton 1992).…”