Collective Action and Community-driven Development in Rural and Urban Indonesia

The article analyses differences in collective action in rural and urban communities that participated in a poverty alleviation project in Indonesia. It was found that the main determinants of collective action are relationships among multiscalar social, political and historical factors, internal and external to communities. Two distinct forms of collective action are also identified. The first form is based on community cohesion, stable social relationships and adherence to social hierarchy. The second form is based on a community's perception of an interdependent future and a shared desire for structural change. Both forms of collective action are effective in delivering project resources to beneficiaries; however, only the second form demonstrates potential for social transformation.