Jakarta — President Joko Widodo’s successor and current President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, launched a sharp critique of neoliberal economic theory during his speech at the 27th anniversary of the National Awakening Party (PKB) on Wednesday evening (July 23). He took aim at the long-standing belief that wealth concentrated at the top will eventually “trickle down” to the wider population, calling it a myth that has never been realized.

“Article 33 of our Constitution is actually very simple but it clearly lays out the foundations for what will secure and protect the state,” Prabowo began. “Because if we’re talking about a state—about its true purpose—it’s to ensure that the people feel safe, that they prosper, that there is no poverty, no hunger. That is the goal of the state.”

He continued by acknowledging the value of democratic ideals, but emphasized that they are meaningless if citizens still face basic hardships.

“Democracy is important—formal democracy, normative democracy. But if the people have no decent housing, if they go hungry, if children are stunted, if people can’t find jobs—then that, for me and for any sane person, is not the purpose of having a state,” he declared.

Citing the Preamble of the 1945 Constitution, Prabowo stressed that its true economic spirit is embodied in Article 33, which calls for an economy built on the principles of mutual cooperation and familial solidarity—not corporate conglomeration.

“Article 33, paragraph 1 says: The economy shall be structured as a collective enterprise based on the principle of kinship. Kinship—not conglomeration. The entire Indonesian people must be treated as one big family.”

He argued that this philosophy runs counter to neoliberalism, which justifies inequality under the assumption that wealth generated by the rich will eventually benefit all through a so-called trickle-down effect.

“This contradicts certain schools of economic thought, especially neoliberalism. Neoliberalism says it’s okay if a handful of people get richer. That’s fine, they say—let a few people get very rich. Because, according to that theory, eventually the wealth will trickle down.”

But Prabowo flatly rejected the validity of that idea.

“In reality, the trickle takes far too long. It’s been 200 years and we’re still waiting. We’d all be dead by the time it happens,” he said to applause. “It’s just not true—it doesn’t trickle down. Have you ever felt anything trickle down? Not even a drop, right?”

Prabowo’s remarks align with his broader vision of strengthening a people-centered economy, rooted in the constitutional mandate to serve all citizens—not just the elite. His speech reaffirmed his commitment to inclusive economic policies and a rejection of models that perpetuate inequality.