Traditional Market vs Modern Market

Market is a place where sellers and buyers meet each other to do some economics activities. The role of the market is very important for the economy of Indonesia. The sellers can sell their products to the buyers who need to buy something from the sellers. Instead, in traditional market the buyers can bargain the price of the goods sold by the sellers until they agreed with each other. The government has responsibilities for the activities happen in the markets. Not only for the capital markets but also for traditional market which are used for commerce. Traditional market sells the household’s goods and also foods. The majority of the buyers come from low and middle class. The government has the authority to regulate the implementation of the market in order to avoid people who involved feel harmed from the operational of the market until setting prices which will be sold in the market. Indonesia as a developing countries can be understood its behavior from 6 theories, which are: 1. The theory of Government Siding 2. The theory of Poskolonial 3. The theory of Culture 4. The theory of Authoritarian-Bureaucratic Country 5. The theory of Political Coalition and the Importance of Economics 6. The theory of the Triangular Alliance (Agustino, 2007: 40)
With those 6 theories, we can see how Indonesia regulate the implementation of the market. In this paper, we will discuss about the first theory, “The theory of Government Siding”, which is in Indonesia we call it as Teori Negara Berpihak. From the name of this theory, we know that the government will not be fair to their citizens. In this theory, the government will be more partial to the elite of this country. We can see from the reality life of Indonesia that actually this country also become more partial to the elite of this country. Nowadays, modern market becomes more exist in several cities. It makes the traditional market, which is the majority of the sellers is local citizens, lost their competitiveness and become worse.
Few days ago, I did some research in both market. Mrs. Leni, the 29 years old lady, said that when she wants to buy something she prefer to buy it in modern market because modern market is cleaner and more comfortable compared with traditional market. Although the price in modern market is more expensive than in the traditional market, people tend to buy products from the modern market because the quality of the products are guaranteed. Instead, each product has their own expired date. So customers who buy that products will know when the product become expired. And she said that when she comes to the modern market, it makes no worries to bring her children because modern market is safer than traditional market.
The second interviewee is Mrs. Eka, the 32 years old lady. She also said that she prefer to go shopping in modern market because she is not interested at bargaining goods in traditional market. She prefer to buy some goods which price is already set by the modern market. Also, she choose modern market because it is cleaner and more comfortable than the traditional market.
On the basis of both interviewee, Indonesian citizens are now become smarter for shopping. They prioritizing the clealiness rather than the price of some products. The quality also become the reason why nowadays citizens tend to go shopping in modern market rather than in traditional market.
With the tendency of people who prefer to choose modern market, this situation can make our government become worse because nowadays the differences between low and middle-class can be seen clearly. Traditional market which is occupied by the seller from lower class will faces bankruptcy if modern market spread more widely. If this condition still happen, the rich people will be richer and the poor one will still become poor. Like what Karl Marx had said, the government and the successor of his Marxis culture are an instrument which is used to take care the needs of elite or borjuis-capitalist (Agustino, 2007: 40).
If we see from Karl Marx’s statement, it is fair that finally in Indonesia the modern market is more increase than the traditional market. Modern market usually owned by the businessman. They usually buy a minimarket name from franchising. Then they can build that mini market in the city they want.
As wee see, there are many modern market like Indomaret and Alfamart in Yogyakarta. Instead, modern market also built in the village. It is equipped with air conditioner and cctv for security. Moreover, the fragrant of those modern market become the reason why people prefer to go shopping in modern market. The goods which are sold in modern market come from well-known brand in this country. Also imported brands are sold in this country. Products which are sold are not exceeds the expired date. So the customers will not get the outdated food.
But in my opinion, traditional market still have to be developed. Moreover, the last interviewee, Mrs. Wulan who is already 51 years old, prefer to go shopping in traditional market. She disagree with modern market which is make Indonesian people become individual and more consumptive. According to her, traditional market is more familiar because we can help the poor people who sells their goods. Besides, we can interact with the sellers. That is why traditional market is not individual like modern market.
The condition of traditional market in Yogyakarta is very poor. Pasar Demangan, the place where I did the interview, looks very poor also. It was dirty, smells bad, and hot. The comfortability cannot be felt in traditional market. Instead, there are several sellers who sell their goods until the sideroad. If we think in term of health, the foods which are sold in the sideroad is definitely unhealthy. Because vegetables, fruits, or other foods was already contaminated by the pollution from cars and motorcycles, like carbon monoxide.
In this problem, the government should be fair to its citizens. The government should serve the public from every element, so there will be no citizens who feel harmed. Besides set up the modern market, the government should serve people well who still visiting traditional market. The government should open their eyes and ear so they can fix and preserve traditional market which is already become our characteristic. At least, the government should giving a good image of traditional market. People only need to be served well in the traditional market, like the market should be smells good, clean, safe, and the product quality is guaranteed.
So, according to the Theory of Government Siding, developing country like Indonesia will make a decision by giving an advantage to the capitalist. Because the government wants to take advantages to run their administration. So in this problem they will be on modern market side which is owned by the capitalist. Citizens are now already move to modern market. According to the interviewees, they prefer modern market because it is more comfortable, cleaner, and smells good. The quality of products are also guaranteed and it has an expired date. But, there are many people who still go shopping in traditional market because it is one of Indonesian’s characteristic. In traditional market we can direcly interact with the sellers to do some bargaining until they agreed each other.

Reference:
Agustino, Leo, 2007, Perihal Ilmu Politik, Graha Ilmu: Yogyakarta
Interview with Mrs. Leni, June 10 2012
Interview with Mrs. Eka, June 10 2012
Interview with Mrs. Wulan, June 10 2012