It’s Not Only Rents: Explaining the Persistence and Change of Neopatrimonialism in Indonesia

GIGA Working Paper No 167

32 Pages Posted: 31 May 2011 Last revised: 17 Aug 2012

See all articles by Nina Korte

Nina Korte

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: May 26, 2011

Abstract

Indonesia has long been associated with neopatrimonialism, corruption, collusion, and nepotism as the main modi operandi of politics, economics and public administration. Despite various measures and initiatives to fight these practices, little evidence for a significant decline can be found over the years. Rather, longitudinal analysis points to changes in the character of neopatrimonialism. Based on more than 60 in‐depth interviews, focus‐group discussions, and the analysis of both primary and secondary data, the aim of this article is, first, to describe the changes that have taken place, and, second, to investigate what accounts for these changes. Political economy concepts posit the amount and development of economic rents as the explanatory factor for the persistence and change of neopatrimonialism. This study’s findings, however, indicate that rents alone cannot explain what has taken place in Indonesia. Democratization and decentralization exert a stronger impact.

Keywords: economic rents, neopatrimonialism, democratization, decentralization, Indonesia

Suggested Citation

Korte, Nina, It’s Not Only Rents: Explaining the Persistence and Change of Neopatrimonialism in Indonesia (May 26, 2011). GIGA Working Paper No 167, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1853406 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1853406

Nina Korte (Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

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