Are Indonesia’s political parties independent and strong institu- tions, successfully mediating between the state and its citizens, or a weak element in the country’s emerging democracy? Or are they cartels distributing patronage to a favored group?
Money, Power, and Ideology
provides a fine-grained analysis of the internal workings of political parties in Indonesia, and compares the political landscape there with party politics in other new democracies. His conclusions are surprising. Contrary to the media image of parties as inherently corrupt, self-absorbed, and elitist, Marcus Mietzner finds that they are well institutionalized compared to their counterparts in Latin America, Eastern Europe, and other parts of Asia, and show little indication of cartelization. He does, however, identify a significant weakness in Indonesia’s party system.
Most new democracies provide state funding to parties in order to increase their independence. Because Indonesia offers no such assistance, political parties there face severe difficulties fund- ing their operations, leading them to make predatory attacks on state resources and exposing them to manipulation by oligarchic interests.