Indonesia in revolution

THE REVOLUTION in Indonesia has shaken the ruling class to its foundations. In one of the first full length accounts in English of the crisis in Indonesia Clare Fermont looks at the economic and social background to the revolution and goes on to piece together a compelling narrative of the struggles which toppled Suharto's dictatorship. Our coverage continues by interviewing Indonesian trade union activists and socialists about their experience during the revolution and their assessment of the tasks which now confront the movement. Chris Bambery's 'Report from Indonesia' gives a first hand account of the depth of the continuing crisis and an assessment of the stability of President Habibie's new government. Tony Cliff concludes our Indonesian coverage with an open letter to Indonesian socialists in which he draws on the Marxist to suggest the best strategy for building a revolutionary organisation in Indonesia.
JOHN MOLYNEUX develops the themes of his review of the Royal Academy's 'Sensation' exhibition, published in our last issue, International Socialism 79, to provide a general theoretical defence of modern art.
BOOK REVIEWS in this issue include Paul McGarr's overview of debates on the French Revolution, Shaun Doherty taking issue with a new introduction to the writings of the great Irish revolutionary James Connolly, and Gary McFarlane comparing Robin Blackburn's and Hugh Thomas's recent accounts of slavery