Suharto: A Political Biography

by R.E. Elson

General Suharto is synonymous with modern Indonesia. He became President amidst extreme social upheaval and mass violence in 1966 and retained his position until 1998. In this book R.E. Elson provides insights into a man who exerted extraordinary power and influence, presented himself as an infallible father of the nation, yet remained mysterious. Suharto sought to transform Indonesia into a strong, united and economically prosperous nation-state, yet after half a century of influence, he is remembered as much for extensive human rights abuse and unprecedented corruption. As Indonesia emerges from the political numbness that characterized his era, its future seems precarious. R.E. Elson is Professor, School of Asian and International Studies at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia and Director of Griffith Asia Pacific Council. He is the author of The End of Peasantry in Southeast Asia (Palgrave, 1997) and The Politics of Colonial Expansion (Southeast Asia Program Publications, 1992).

Genres: Biography, History, Politics, Asia, Nonfiction

412 pages, Hardcover

First published November 13, 2001

About the author

Robert Edward Elson

Reviews

[Pramudito Adi · Rating 4 out of 5]

BUKU BIOGRAFI SOEHARTO YANG PERTAMA KALI DIKERJAKAN SECARA OBJEKTIF, SERIUS, DAN LENGKAP

Bagi saya buku ini memiliki cakupan analisis lebih objektif, luas, dan mendalam dengan nuansa akademis yang kuat daripada buku-buku terkait biografi soeharto lainnya. Sebagaimana mengutip David Jenkins, buku yang terbit pada tahun 2001 ini merupakan buku biografi Soeharto yang pertama kali dikerjakan secara objektif, serius, dan lengkap. Bagi penulis, buku ini merupakan buku yang penting apabila ingin dalam memahami mengenai Orde Baru dengan sudut pandang personal yang lebih berfokus pada diri seorang Soeharto itu sendiri. Buku ini pada dasarnya berisikan perjalanan hidup seorang Soeharto dari masa kecil, naik ke puncak kuasa, hingga kejatuhannya sebagai Presiden. Dalam hal tersebut Elson turut menyoroti latar belakang psikologi, alam berpikir dan kepribadian soeharto dalam menjelaskan mengapa Soeharto melakukan kebijakan-kebijakannya. Bagi Elson, Soeharto merupakan seorang yang cenderung pendiam, enigmatik, pragmatis, oportunis, dan paternalistik namun di sisi lain taktis, berdisiplin tinggi, dan kalkulatif. Kembali lagi seperti yang sudah disampaikan sebelumnya, Kepribadian Soeharto inilah yang juga tercerminkan dalam kebijakan-kebijakannya dan menjadi salah satu kunci utama untuk memahami bagaimana karakter daripada pemerintahan Orde Baru.

[Jonah Lo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Elson's biography of Soeharto is a solid piece of research that likely still proves itself the best one-volume biography of not just Soeharto, but of the Orde Baru regime in general. Keeping in mind the difficulty of accessing sources related to both, it is about the best one could expect from a UK-based scholar with limited opportunities to travel around Asia.

Unfortunately, parts of it have been rendered somewhat out of date by newer, careful research. As with most accounts of G30S, it has been largely displaced by Roosa's newer account. Moreover, his claim that it was unlikely that Soeharto could have enjoyed the education he did experience without a notable family background has been largely disproven by newer scholarship from David Jenkins. Furthermore, the chapter on the Fall comes off as fairly careless and insufficiently attentive to the immensely complex factional politics of the period.

Regardless, the book still brings much to learn - especially in its chapters on Soeharto's path from Japanese soldier to President.

[Anjar Priandoyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book, an academic book. Today I read this partially from Google Books, but maybe one day I will read the proper version of this book. This book is a masterpiece on Suharto biography, written by Robert Elson, who also a friend of Benedict Anderson and Anthony Reid. For Indonesian academia, this book must be read to understand the true nature of Indonesian. One day I will finish this book.

[Kelvin Yudianto · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book on a complicated subject

[Moh Ass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ini merupakan biografi (mantan) Presiden Suharto yang paling berimbang, menurut saya.

Dalam buku akan lebih mengenal presiden ke-2 kita -- kebaikan dan kejelekannya. Edisi bahasa Indonesia diterbitkan oleh MINDA dengan judul: Suharto, Sebuah biografi politik.
Lihat: http://www.dinamikaebooks.com/details...

[Mochammad Zuhdy]

I have the translated edition.

[WIDIE]

good