RAND Research Brief: Indonesia's Future. Challenges and Implications for Regional Stability and U.S. Security Interests

Abstract

The Republic of Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous and largest Muslim-majority state, is undergoing a profound political transformation. Governmental instability, a fragile economy, secessionist movements, and ethnic and religious conflict threaten the country's nascent democracy. The stakes are high. A successful democratic transition would allow Indonesia to serve as a capable partner in maintaining regional security and stability in Southeast Asia while reducing opportunities for potential Chinese hegemony. Conversely, political deterioration or breakdown, the rise of Islamic radicalism or, in the worst-case scenario, the country's violent disintegration, would likely contribute to a more chaotic and unstable future for the region.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2001
Accession Number
ADA394994

Entities

People

  • Angel Rabasa
  • Peter Chalk

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Air Force
  • Asia
  • Democracy
  • Foreign Policy
  • Governments
  • Human Rights
  • Indonesia
  • Islands
  • National Governments
  • Negotiations
  • Political Systems
  • Regional Security
  • Security
  • Southeast Asia
  • Transitions
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.