Indonesia must put an agenda behind ‘bebas-aktif’
A great power that loses access to adjudication substitutes its own power. A middle power that loses it has nothing to substitute.
Indonesia must develop a strategy for navigating the current global power struggle, as highlighted in the phrase "bebas-aktif," according to a report. On September 2, 1948, Mohammad Hatta delivered a powerful speech emphasizing that Indonesia would grow, not drift, when asked its stance in the tense geopolitical climate. This sentiment has been echoed for 78 years, serving as a guiding principle during periods of uncertainty.
The concept gained prominence after Indonesia's independence in 1945, as the nation faced the pressing question of alignment in the face of Cold War tensions. The Asian African Conference in 1955 and the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961 further solidified Indonesia's stance. Today, the Global South once again finds itself in a precarious position amidst a great power contest, with adversaries weaponizing global economic systems.
The decay of multilateralism and the crumbling of global trade rules that have historically benefited the Global South are of paramount importance to Indonesia and other nations. A great power losing access to adjudication substitutes its own power, while a middle power loses everything, as the report points out.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post Academia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
