A Variegated Convergence? Indonesian Progressives and Mass Politics in Comparative Asian Perspective
Abstract
Globally, links between progressive politics and mass constituencies have weakened but remain influential through grassroots mobilization. This article examines that relationship in Indonesia, a major oligarchic democracy, focusing on developments since 2014. It identifies a pattern of partial convergence between progressive activism and working-class aspirations, driven by shared experiences of intensifying capitalist exploitation. However, this alignment is uneven. Key constraints include tensions between professional managerial class activists and their mass base, and the organizational weakness of leftist and working-class groups. Together, these factors limit the effectiveness of pro-democracy and class politics, producing a temporary impasse also seen in other Asian contexts.
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