Governance and Domestic Politics in Indonesia: Contemporary Challenges & Achievements

Indonesia until recently, was the product of two dictatorships, the last of which ended only in 1998. This extended dose of dictatorship in Indonesia has lead to a failure of institutional growth. However, only fifteen years after Soeharto’s departure, Indonesia already has a very robust Presidential Democracy with a popular twice elected President , an incredibly dispersed system of devolution of powers from the Center to more than 440 Regencies, an elected Central Legislature (DPR), a second Legislative Body for lower Administrative Units(DPRD), a 128 member Regional Representative Council (DPD) or Upper House, a Judiciary, a strong Anti Corruption Agency, several Independent Watchdog Agencies and the freest Press in Asia! How did Indonesia achieve all this and so quickly?