The Legacy of Sukarno

Much of the history of independent Indonesia has been dominated by the spirit of revolution and by the rule of Sukarno. Against Sukarno’s great achievements for national independence must be matched his attempts to unite the republic by radical means rather than by sound administration. The result was that educated people and the army became appalled at the mismanagement of the nation. Most of the wealth and glamour of the republic was concentrated in Djakarta and little attention was given to the problems of diversity. Since 1965, the problems of the republic have been faced by General Suharto.