JAKARTA ¡ª Modern miracles do happen. Ten years ago, as the Asian financial crisis savaged Indonesia¡¯s economy, many experts predicted that the country would become unstable, if not splinter. Instead, Indonesia, the world¡¯s most populous Islamic country, has emerged as a beacon of freedom and democracy for the Muslim world. What happened? And why hasn¡¯t the world taken note?
The story is as complex as Indonesia itself. One leading expert on Indonesia, Benedict Anderson, roots Indonesia¡¯s nature in its core Javanese culture, particularly the wayang religious tradition. According to Anderson, ¡°In contrast to the great religions of the Near East, the religion of wayang has no prophet, no message, no Bible, no Redeemer.¡±
The endless variety and sharp individuality of its dramatis personae indicate that wayang reflects the variegation of human life as it is felt by the Javanese.¡± In short, Javanese culture helps Indonesia handle the many diverse voices that a new democracy throws up.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.