On Bali’s Gentrification

Gentrification works gently like it’s name that can mean “of gentle birth”. It is troublesome that there’s an economic gap in Bali just like most of other villages, cities, or countries in this world. But it goes beyond wage problems to smell the stench of post-colonialism in the beloved island in Indonesia.

In a nutshell yes, there’s definitely some throwback with a modern twist to the colonial era. Especially on the mental side. Just look at me, an Indonesian that writes in English. At least im not writing in Dutch right?

Firstly, the minimum wage of Bali range about 2,5 to 2,9 million rupiah. Government set this number that can increase through the rate of consumption, number of workers, inflation, and yes, the economic erection or in a more boring phrase, economic growth.

If a business at Bali pays 3 million a month its actually legal. How about if a foreign company utlize Bali’s and its workers to get more cheaper labor but still pays 3 million? It’s actually also legal. But the latter could be dubbed as a douche move…that is actually practiced since the United States of Nike shakes hand with Chinese factories in the 20th Century.

Wage increase can actually be achieved if there’s more business that leads to more consumption that leads to number of workers that leads to a very hard economic erection.

Secondly, unions need to be organized indeed, and demonstration should always exist as an act of democracy. They actually exist in Bali, one of them is Federasi Serikat Pekerja Mandiri that demonstrated hotels earlier in 2022.

Thirdly, Bali is a big island, there’s still relatively cheap coffee and coffee places under Rp45.000. But its all about the money right? An Indonesian outsider viewpoint can see inequality just because of a wage that doesnt cater to him, her, or other standard. Doesnt think its high enough. Meanwhile its actually on the wage scale ideally created by the government that is ideally created by the economic growth.

Of gentle birth can be outsiders that live in Bali from a safe time and space. Of gentle birth can also be people that says they missed the rice fields back when he, her, or other came to Bali – complaining while being part of the problem. If the focus is money then everything will be calculated. But there are other things that can’t be calculated, and that is the immaterial.

There’s a phrase so cliche, it can even make trash tourist (maybe) cringe. You can’t buy happiness. As cliche at it may seems, you actually can’t. We can definitely be happy with some money, but happiness itsef is in the realm of immaterial. Happiness can be a feeling so real that no one can’t feel it but it could also be a feeling so unreal that anyone can feel it in their own way.

There’s a reason why the most happiest people, communities, village, city, or country is not the richest. Of gentle birth, outsider viewpoint, and tourist that claims to be a purist should stop imposing their own ideas and culture that can divide the people. A minimum wage employee in Bali can have the widest smile as his or her employer as long as theres an understanding between both party. A regulation set the rules and all exploitation should be overruled.