Purpose of the study: This paper aims to explain social violence during the transition of three regimes in Indonesia,
from the Old Order to the New Order and from the New Order to the Reformation. This paper also analyzes the motives
behind the violence at each transition of the regimes.
Methodology: The research was conducted through a literature study by examining media documents, magazines,
research reports, scientific articles, and books on various social violence practices in every three regimes in Indonesia.
Main Findings: The result of the study found that the social violence in Indonesia has occurred in various forms and
motives. Five types of social violence have been identified, communal violence, separatist violence, state-community
violence, industrial relations violence, and political violence. The social violence has used as a tool to silence the past
and carry out political propaganda by elites and to gain the power by opposition. Thus, it argues that all social violence
practices are constructed by various interests of the regimes and anti-regimes.
Applications of this study: This study provides a mapping of violence in every political and regime transition in
Indonesia. Thus, this study can be applied for two important issues. First, this study can be used as reference in
anticipating political violence in the national and regional election process in Indonesia in particular, and other countries
in general. Second, for developing countries, this study can be used as reference as reference in mapping and analyzing
various social violence practices that accompany the transition process.
Novelty/Originality of this study: The recent studies of violence in Indonesia covered the issues of religious, ethnic,
economic and political violence. There are limited studies violence and democracy transition in Indonesia and it’s
relation to political regimes. This article focuses on violence and its relationship with the political regimes and regime’s
changes in Indonesia.
Keywords: Social Violence, Political Regimes, Power Transition, Indonesian Democracy.