Menuju Asean Economic Community 2015 dalam Kondisi Pembangunan Ekonomi yang Timpang

Abstract

Abstract: Economic development gap has divided ASEAN countries into two groups named
ASEAN-6 and CLMV. Yet, ASEAN is still in the process to establish ASEAN Economic Community
(AEC) in 2015. And in attempt to establish AEC, equitable economic development becomes one of the
main characteristics in AEC Blueprint. A debate then arises whether ASEAN is plausible to establish
economic community successfully or not. In fact, development gap does not always obstruct the
establishment of a community. As for an example, development gap also exists in European region but
it is not regarded as a serious problem that can hinder European countries to establish European Union.
This study is aimed at discussing the influences of economic development gap among ASEAN
countries towards the process of AEC establishment. In this study, dependent development theory of
Cardoso is used to analyze the development gap in ASEAN. Based on further analysis, it is found that
the development gap in ASEAN is influenced by the international economic structure. Data shows that
ASEAN countries are integrated (in?)to international structure through the foreign direct investment
from the center states. This condition places ASEAN countries as the dependent countries.

Key Words: development gap, ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), dependent development