Ruling Indonesia

Jokowi’s Presidency in an Age of Democratic Crisis and Great Power Competition

A personal examination of how one leader prioritized economic development over democratic liberties

Joko Widodopopularly called Jokowiruled Indonesia for a decade, from 2014 to 2024. The worlds fourth-largest nation and third-largest democracy, Indonesia had embarked on a messy democratic transition in the late 1990s, with the countrys ethnic and religious heterogeneity posing significant challenges to governance. Initially seen as a reformer who might challenge oligarchic structures, Jokowi was slowly but steadily seen as himself being a threat to democracy. By the time Jokowi wrapped up his presidency, he had achieved the highest approval ratings among Indonesias post-authoritarian presidentsand became the president with the tightest grip over Indonesias political elite.

Based on exclusive interviews with Jokowi and many of Indonesias top leaders, Ruling Indonesia shows Jokowi as a president obsessively preoccupied with his economic development agenda, subordinating all other aspects of governance to this goal. His focused approach delivered economic successes and unprecedented popularity, but also seriously undermined the health of Indonesias democratic institutions. Offering a holistic appraisal of his decade in office, Marcus Mietzner analyzes Jokowis domestic record in the context of his attempts to position Indonesia more favorably in the international competition for power and resources. Crucially, his obsession to push Indonesia closer to industrialized status while neglecting democratic development represented the ambitions and trials of many Global South leaders who are trying to juggle economic development, growing Sino-American tensions around the world, and concerns for democratic rights. As such, this book provides valuable insights into how the great power rivalry of the 21st century and the global recession of democracy are playing out in central arenas of the Global South.