Decentralized Governance Quotes
This was one of the first scholarly analysis of the history, psychology, and culture of the American Western Frontiersman. It is still considered one of the best.
He warned that if there were quick elections, the Islamists being the only organized civil and political organizations were bound to win and then it would be very hard to create civic democratic institutions which would not only be competition for the Islamists but would likely be secular—their worst fear. He generally turned out to be right as Lewis was the Western World’s greatest Islamic Historian,
There was huge pressure on the central government to decentralize as they held all the power in Indonesian society. However, if they devolved power to the Provinces (States), many of them could be large enough and independent enough to secede and become an independent country as East Timor had done. So the Indonesian power structure bypassed the Provincial governments and devolved power directly to the local governments, none of which was independent enough to go it alone. The desired objective was met—no more secessions. However, there was no one to worry about regional and national issues and problems as the politicians who had power were all local. The country was becoming non-functional in many ways.
