The Democratic Instinct in the 21st Century

Issue Date July 2010
Volume 21
Issue 3
Page Numbers 5-10
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Democratization is never easy, smooth, or linear, but as Indonesia’s experience in building a multiparty and multiethnic democracy shows, it can succeed even under difficult and initially unpromising conditions.

About the Author

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was elected in 2009 to his second term as president of the Republic of Indonesia. The text that follows is adapted from the keynote address that he delivered in Jakarta on 12 April 2010 at the sixth biennial Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy.

View all work by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Further Reading

Volume 16, Issue 2

The Rise of “Muslim Democracy”

The incentives created by competitive elections in a number of Muslim-majority countries are fueling a political trend that roughly resembles the rise of Christian Democracy in twentieth-century Europe

Volume 16, Issue 2

Challenge and Change in East Asia: Indonesia’s Quest for Accountable Governance

Despite the tsunami tragedy, Indonesians at least can look back on the political events of 2004 with pride. Their country successfully held three major elections and produced a legitimate government.…

Volume 23, Issue 2

Southeast Asia: Minding the Gap Between Democracy and Governance

Do democracy and good governance necessarily go hand-in-hand? In most Southeast Asian countries, a gap exists between the two. How should we understand good governance in an authoritarian context? And…