The Politics of Power (book review)

31. Title :- The Politics of Power – Freeport in Suharto’s Indonesia.
By :- Denise Leith
Published :- University of Hawai’i Press 2003 (270 pages)

Outline :- Outlines the founding of Freeport, the relationship between USA & Indonesia through its leaders. Suharto needed Freeport, and Freeport needed Suharto, but this became a balancing act over the years. Suharto twisted Freeport’s arm for income for him & friends, but in return Freeport were allowed to expand. Freeport grew up in an era where all mining companies & NGO’s struggled to understand their inter relation on community issues, environment and the roll of the military. What started out as a professional mining company eventually had to become essentially a minin government. The book tends to paint Freeport as the bad guy, but also does clearly point out that Freeport did as good a job as they could in such regional & political circumstances, and were always more responsive & responsible than the Government.