Sustainable Development and the Work of Ibn Khaldun: The Case of Indonesia

Abstract

This chapter aims to identify the indicators of sustainable development from the viewpoint of Ibn Khaldun, as described in his magnum opus, Al-Muqaddimah, to determine the differentiation between modern economists and Ibn Khaldun’s concepts. It addresses the issues related to sustainable development in Indonesia using the economic thought of Ibn Khaldun and its relevance today. A great civilization can be built in Indonesia if all parts of the governmental sector can work together with good intentions to achieve sustainable development. The high-tech industrialization that we are currently witnessing is resulting in potentially long-term harmful environmental and social impacts. The Stockholm declaration at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, June 5–16, 1972, marked a turning point in international environmental politics. The concept of sustainable development aims to address the weaknesses of unmitigated economic growth, which cannot ensure the planet’s economic, environmental and social sustainability.