Suharto: A Political BiographyGeneral 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). |
Contents
Beginnings and youth | xix |
Soldier in the revolution | 9 |
Central Java commands 19501959 | 41 |
High office 19591965 | 72 |
The coup attempt | 95 |
The move to power 19651968 | 116 |
Legitimation and consolidation 19681973 | 163 |
Negotiating the problems of the New Order 19731983 | 199 |
Ascendancy | 231 |
Decline fall accounting | 263 |
The man and his legacy | 293 |
Glossary and abbreviations | 305 |
Notes | 311 |
Select bibliography | 352 |
Index | 372 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
30 September Movement ABRI activities Ali Murtopo Amirmachmud amongst Anon appointed April Armed Forces army and politics attack August battalion Brigade cabinet Central Java civilian commander communist corruption coup attempt Crouch December defence democracy Diponegoro Dutch Dwipayana and Nazaruddin early East Timor economic efforts elections emerged February FEER Golkar Habibie headquarters Ibnu Ibnu Sutowo Indonesia Indonesian politics Islam Jakarta January Javanese Jejak langkah Pak July June Kemusuk Komando Kompas Kostrad langkah Pak Harto Latief leaders leadership Magelang March Merdeka military minister move MPRS Murdani Murtopo Muslim Nasution Nazaruddin eds notwithstanding November October officers Order organisation Pancasila panglima party Pertamina Pikiran President problems Rakyat regime regional Republic republican Roeder role Semarang senior Siliwangi social Soeharto sought strategy student Sudharmono Sudirman Suharto Sujono Sukarno sultan Sumitro Supersemar technocrats Tempo Timor troops Vatikiotis West Irian Yani Yoga Sugama Yogya Yogyakarta