Religion, Politics and Class Divisions in Indonesia

Abstract

Do rich and poor people experience religion differently? What about rural and urban people? Analysis of World Values Survey data for Indonesia for 2001 and 2006 shows that less privileged people tend to be more conservative, privileged people more progressive, while the latter group runs all the mainstream organizations. Blue collar and agricultural workers, especially those in the sphere of influence of provincial towns, are interested in religion as an exclusive moral guide for the community, but they do not have the resources to run major organizations. In spatial terms, the interest in Islamism peaks in these provincial towns. So, at the national and metropolitan level, we see a relatively progressive politics promoted by a largely professional upper and upper middle class. Provincial politics, by contrast, are frequently more conservative, more rough and tumble, and are closer to the grassroots interests of a lower middle, working and lower class constituency.

Keywords: Islam, conservative, progressive, Indonesia, class, politics