At the beginning of a new century and amidst the turmoil of a new democracy, we need more than ever a historical perspective on modern Indonesia. This economic history connects Soeharto's New Order (1966-1998) back to the colonial era and helps to explain why the transition from colonialism to independence and from New Order to democracy has been difficult and sometimes traumatic.

The Emergence of a National Economy identifies three themes in this transformation: globalization, state formation, and economic integration. These themes link chronological chapters from the pre-1800 period to the breakdown of the colonial system after 1930, the birth of modern Indonesia, the New Order, and the Asian crisis of the 1990s.For sale in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand by NUS Press (Singapore)