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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Elections & Politics

Nobel Laureate James Robinson Calls Indonesia a Political Miracle

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Nobel Economics laureate James A. Robinson described Indonesia’s political experience as a “political miracle” during a discussion in Jakarta.
  • Robinson linked Indonesia’s diversity, history, culture and institutions to its ability to function as one state under Pancasila.
  • The discussion argued that countries should develop economic models suited to their own histories and institutions rather than copy a single development formula.

Indonesia’s ability to bring a highly diverse population together under Pancasila has been described by Nobel Economics laureate James A. Robinson as a “political miracle.” The remark came during a discussion hosted by the Megawati Institute in Jakarta on Saturday, according to institute director Hilmar Farid.

Robinson examined Indonesia through the lens of the research that earned him the 2024 Nobel Economics Prize alongside Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson. Their work explored how institutions form and how they influence a country’s prosperity. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences emphasized the role of institutions in explaining differences in wealth between countries.

Hilmar said Robinson viewed Indonesia’s experience through its history, culture, social diversity and institutional development. He also compared it with countries that have featured in the University of Chicago economist’s research.

Pancasila is an important part of how this highly diverse nation can live together. Professor Robinson saw Indonesia’s experience as something interesting, even describing Indonesia as a kind of political miracle.

— Hilmar FaridHilmar summarized Robinson’s assessment of Indonesia during the Jakarta discussion.

The discussion rejected the idea of a single development model that countries can copy. “The important question is not which country we should imitate,” Hilmar said. “We need to look again at what we have, at our history, our culture, and the institutions that best fit Indonesian society.”

That line of inquiry led to a broader question about Pancasila. If it provides the foundation for national life, the discussion asked how its values and historical experience could be translated into an economic model shaped by Indonesian society’s needs. Hilmar said the question had become more pressing as established political and economic models faced serious problems around the world.

The important question is not which country we should imitate. We need to look again at what we have, at our history, our culture, and the institutions that best fit Indonesian society.

— Hilmar FaridHilmar argued against applying a uniform development model to every country.
About this summary

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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