Discussion 7
1. What initiated Marshall Plan?
The Marshall
Plan is economic assistance provided by the United States to countries
devastated by World War II. On June 5, 1947, Marshall called for help for
Europe in a speech at Harvard University. "To be honest, Europe needs food
aid from abroad for the next three to four years, especially from America. This
need is bigger than its ability," said Marshall.
He suggested
that European countries design their economic improvement programs which the
United States would assist in the future.
2. Is
Marshall Plan related to Block Politic (the influence of Communism)?
The aim of the Marshall Plan was to assist in the economic recovery of
countries after World War II and to reduce the influence of the communist party
within it. In order to combat the effects of the Marshall Plan, the USSR
developed its own economic plan, known as the Molotov Plan, despite the fact
that a large amount of resources from the Eastern Bloc countries to the Soviet
Union were paid as reparations, to the countries participating in the Axis
Power during war.
3. Do you think we should have similar plan in order to speed up our
economic development in the remote/underdeveloped areas such as Papua,
Ambon, Sulawesi and Kalimantan?
Foreign assistance to accelerate the economic development of the Indonesian
nation, especially eastern Indonesia and remote / underdeveloped areas such as
Papua, Ambon, Sulawesi and Kalimantan, is very much needed.
However, as the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, all assistance
in any form from abroad must go through the Central Government of the Republic
of Indonesia, not foreign countries without the knowledge of the central
government directly provide assistance or grants to regions within the
territory of the Republic of Indonesia.