A Social Change, Machiavelli and Establishing a New Order of Things: The Role of Literature in Creating a New Culture for Our Times

Abstract

A brief glance at the history of Indonesian literature illustrates how social change is usually accompanied by a new wave of literary production that stands distinct from previous works. In this keynote we will examine the economic causes of this renewal, based on earlier examples, and speculate on the emerging pandemic literature. As Indonesia becomes wealthier and social change accelerates literature will help people define who they are. Just as books replaced serialised novels, online literature will substitute for books. Low transaction costs may usher in a period of literary competition (concentration) or fragmentation.