Indonesian ambassador to the U.S., Dino Patti Djalal, May 24 2012

The ambassador described a new mentality that is forming, an optimism stimulated because success is now being seen as home grown. In past success had a strong connection to names like Henry Ford, Colonal Sanders, and Bill Gates. . ."now success can have our faces and our names as well. " noted the ambassador.

According to him, it's not military success but corporate success that matters most in global relations. In past Indonesia had strong movements against colonialism and the related capitalist economic structures, which has been a hinderance. 21st have to believe in markets, so now people replace the word capitalism with "entrepreneurship" and it works, lots of enthusiasm.

Indonesia is the 3rd largest democracy in the world with the largest middle class in Asia. This is quite surprising from point of view of 1999, after economic crash. 85% of Indonesians believe in their democratic system and that their economy is good, disagreements with particular policies or election choices notwithstanding.

He warned, however, that it's possible to become stuck with a middle income level, inertia prevents high GDP status. There are lessons from the US's economic growth during the fifty years Fter WWII.

This event was brought to the Ohio State University thanks to The College of Education and Human Ecology and PERMIAS, the Indonesian Student Association.