Critical Response By Joko Wicoyo

This book is a comprehensive introductory text on the history of Indonesia since the arrival of Islam ca.1300 to the present day. An essential narrative of political history is provided together with details of social, cultural, and economic affairs. This book talks about the history of the Indonesian people themselves with the background of the formation of the Indonesian nation by an amalgamation of diverse with particular attention to major influences such as: the spread of Islam, cultural traditions, Dutch colonization, Islamic revivalism, anti-colonialism, the establishment of Indonesian political parties either with religion or national background and the spirit to struggle for independence. This book assists me to understand deeply the serious and comprehensive study of the history of Indonesia from the past to the present written by foreign scholar. It gives me a good explanation behind the gradual process of Dutch colonialism and a glimpse of the difficulties since attaining independence. I think this book can help me and other readers either Indonesian scholars or foreigners to attain a better historical understanding of the complexities behind the ongoing political turmoil. In particular, the readers can learn how rich history of the Indonesian archipelago with a focus on indigenous affairs, the spread of Islam, early European contact, the emergence of the new Indonesian states and the variety of indigenous cultural, literary and religious traditions. The turbulent seventeenth century and eighteenth centuries are then analyzed in terms of the largely inconclusive struggles for hegemony among Indonesian states and the Dutch. The nineteenth century saw Dutch colonial rule gradually imposed throughout the archipelago, and the twentieth century opened with quite new issues which were by now common to most of the peoples of Indonesia. Islamic revivalism and anti-colonial movements further helped to draw Indonesia together, a process which culminated in the revolution and independence. Since then, Indonesia's unification has made many achievements possible, but has not prevented the emergence of persistence of serious problems. Without political or religious bias, using both western and Indonesian sources, perceived from any other angle perspectives, this history of Indonesia assists the serious study of both the past and the present of a beautiful, important and rich natural resources Indonesian nation. But unfortunately, in my mind, not many leaders and young Indonesian generation realize how important the history of this nation of which process has been full of high struggles to form Indonesian nationalism. It should become the inspiration of the Indonesian leaders nowadays who are trusted by the Indonesian people to make the society live in welfare, prosperous, just and civilized atmosphere regardless any social, economical, political, religion, and ethnic background. In my mind the most of the Indonesian leaders nowadays, do not care of and do not realize the vision and mission of the founding fathers. They are busy with their selves to enrich their lives by doing corruption without paying attention to their main duties and responsibility to develop this country like the vision and mission of the founding fathers of this nation. What is wrong with this nation?