Why Brokers Don't Betray: Social Status and Brokerage Activity in Central Java

Abstract

During the highly contested 2011–2012 election for the local regency head (pilkada) in Pati, a successful trader and businessman had committed to serving as a broker (sabet) for one of the candidates. As a broker, Suparso (which is a surname) acts as an intermediary for a candidate and attempts to recruit support among voters for his candidate, sometimes by providing gifts and even cash payments in exchange for citizens’ support on Election Day.1 Suparso is also a leader in his community and well respected by the citizens in his village. He is often sought after by candidates running for local and even provincial elections because of his influence over voters in the Central Java regency of Pati. During the campaign, a rival candidate visited Suparso’s home numerous times attempting to convince him to abandon his candidate and defect to the rival campaign’s