The world has changed in the last three years. The political map of the world, especially the hierarchy of large to small countries, is clearly changing de facto, even though many countries are reluctant to acknowledge it. A country that was once considered among the top ten in the world due to its economic and technological strength has now become a mediocre nation.

Economic issues are emerging, a decline in the population due to fertility culture, a small security budget, and the vulnerability of food resources are the main problems facing the country. Just say that those are European countries like England, France, and others. They even rely solely on their ally, the United States, for security issues.

Countries like India, although not currently recognized as such, are becoming superpowers with a larger defense budget, a significant population, and certainly abundant food resources. India becomes a new country if we do not count China and Russia, as they have indeed been competitors of America for several decades now.

The outbreak of the Israel-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine wars is a manifestation of the failure of European countries, which once again proves that they are currently mediocre compared to China, Russia, and India. Europe was even unable to control or prevent Russia from invading Ukraine. Similarly, the Arab countries that are unable to stop the Israel-Palestine conflict. It shows their weakness.

Remember, the geopolitical situation and the conditions of countries have changed compared to 50 years ago. Just imagine, when England colonized India, they only sent 100,000 troops while the population of India was 300 million at that time. That is not possible at the moment; if England sends its troops, in no time the Indian people will annihilate them.

The growth of technology has led to an acceleration in academic progress and the intelligence level of the global community. Including the population of developing countries, which is several times greater than the population of European countries. The advantages of technological strength can no longer be used as a basis for claiming that a country is a great power. Technology in the form of patents can now be easily purchased and learned.

Perhaps it is time for European countries to hand over the reins of power in the UN to the new superpowers. These new superpowers will certainly be more committed to maintaining world peace. They also understand the dangers of continuing to dispute with other countries. America will continue to be respected because nuclear war is certainly not an option for any country, whether it’s China, Russia, or especially India. However, countries like those in Europe may currently only continue to rely on their allies.

How is Indonesia?

In the past, during the colonization of Indonesia in the 1940s, the Dutch forces numbered only 85,000. Meanwhile, the population of Indonesia at that time was 68 million people. The ignorance of Indonesian society at that time was the reason why that could happen. However, at this point, even if the entire population of the Netherlands were in Indonesia, it would be impossible to colonize as it was done in the past. The development of countries occurs as theorized by Adam Smith, namely the invisible hand; it develops on its own due to the growth of the population and economic transactions.

Countries like Indonesia, blessed with a large population and abundant natural resources, can easily become superpowers today. The development of technology makes knowledge easily accessible to everyone. Once that knowledge is absorbed, the progress of a country is just a matter of time.

Strengthening Relations Among ASEAN Countries

Kishore Mahbubani, an academic interviewed on Gita Wirjawan’s podcast Endgame, stated that many countries are increasing their budgets for security forces and preparations in case of war, but there is very little budget allocated for programs to promote peace.

Indonesia is located in the ASEAN region, where among its member countries there is a history of living peacefully and coexisting. Indonesia needs to enhance the awareness of mutual dependence among ASEAN countries. Peace is the prerequisite for a country’s progress. If the region is peaceful, then economic exchanges naturally enhance the performance of those countries. Multilateral and bilateral economic relationship programs need to be encouraged to realize economic justice for each country in ASEAN. Equality and mutual support need to be expressed concretely.

The new Indonesian government, with Prabowo Subianto as president, seems actively engaged in building foreign communication. This needs to be followed by the cabinet’s work program so that Indonesia can actively become a pioneer in promoting peace and have a significant voice in enhancing the ASEAN economy.

Strengthening Domestic Politics

If we fly from the westernmost province, Aceh, to the easternmost province, Papua, it takes us up to 12 hours. That duration is the same as what is needed if we fly from Jakarta to Mecca, passing through other Asian countries. That is the broad picture of Indonesia. Not only is Indonesia vast, but it is also inhabited by many ethnic groups with diverse cultures. Different languages and different lifestyles as well.

The threat of division is very high if the governance does not run on its proper tracks. History records that Indonesia has experienced civil wars since the era of kingdoms, even after the proclamation of independence. In history, kingdom after kingdom took turns dominating the archipelago, starting from Mataram, Majapahit, Sriwijaya, and others. Then there were also rebellion movements after independence, such as Persemesta, DI/TII, and communism in 1948 and 1965.

The division was triggered by injustice in political, economic, and social aspects. Therefore, the elected President, Prabowo, should pay attention to this matter. The resolution of issues related to corruption and income inequality is very urgent.

Authoritarianism is not the right choice given Indonesia’s sociological and geographical conditions. It is important to understand that the elected president wants to emulate how Russia, China, and even India have chosen authoritarianism in their governance. The politics of mutual cooperation and prioritizing justice is a good choice in the current digital era.