Institutions and Rural Stagnation in Eastern Indonesia

Bibliographic Data

ID8416126
AuthorsStein Kristiansen (0000-0002-2717-0910, Universitas Gadjah Mada, corresponding author)
Year2018
Volume54
Issue2
Pages193-214
Publication date2018-05-04
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueBulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-4918 • E-ISSN: 1472-7234
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00074918.2018.1441526
OpenAlexW2792501743
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited46

This article addresses why agricultural productivity is still very low in peripheral parts of eastern Indonesia. The paper identifies rules and norms underpinning traditionalism. It further addresses how increased land-use efficiency can be supported while maintaining communal land ownership. Information collected from in-depth interviews was analysed based on new institutional economics (NIE) theory. I argue that the government, adat leaders, the Catholic Church, leading businesses, and internationally funded NGOs are organisations contributing to the status quo. Policy recommendations include awareness among international donors of what NGOs really do. Civil society organisations could contribute to a more efficient and democratic government and less feudalist traditional leadership. A government tax on fertile land could form the basis for a cadastre system, secure farmers’ permanent land-user rights, and also enhance land productivity, without reducing the values of a rich culture based on communal land

Agriculture · Civil society · Democracy · Economic growth · Economics · Geography · Government (linguistics) · Land tenure · Market economy · Political science · Politics · Productivity · Status quo · Underpinning · Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management · Land Rights and Reforms · Law · Microfinance and Financial Inclusion · Public Administration

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