Book Description

In an introductory chapter and six speeches the former Vice-President of Indonesia stresses the importance of the formation of co-operatives. The speeches are directed to Indonesians, and in them the author expresses his view that co-operatives are the only way to build the national economy. The tables in the book give evidence as to how much the co-operative movement has grown, despite the tremendous handicaps of lack of capital, lack of experience, lack of leadership, and the general poverty of the people! Hatta envisions a classless society in which every man is both worker and manager in his co-operative, and he sees capitalistic enterprises as only temporary necessities in Indonesia-to do those jobs too big for the small co-operatives but not large enough to be government projects. This work should prove to be thought-provoking for economists and all who are interested in Indonesia's future.