Abstract

Indonesia-Republic with Strings

As the Republics red-and-white flag rises over the two-thousand-mile crescent of Indonesia's verdant islands in 1949, Indonesia's millions cheer it as a symbol of their formal independence. Still they fear lest under the terms of their agreement with the Dutch, the Hague will still have too great a voice in Indonesian affairs. Although the Dutch did not obtain the overlordship for which they strove, they have kept enough influence in significant areas to curtail Indonesia's freedom of action. Through their investment of about three and a half billion guilders in key industries the Dutch can easily dominate the islands' economy. Their administrative control is continued by the provision that the new government is to take over the whole Dutch bureaucracy for a minimum of two years.