Low Income, High Hopes: The Impact of Income Among Residents of Karang Indah Village on Perceptions of “Indonesia Emas 2045”

Abstract

Public perception of the “Golden Indonesia 2045” vision is a strategic variable that determines the success of the long-term national development agenda. This study aims to examine the effect of income level on the perceptions of residents of Karang Indah Village, Barito Kuala Regency, regarding the “Golden Indonesia 2045” vision. The study employed a quantitative approach using a cross-sectional survey design involving 140 respondents selected via simple random sampling. Perceptions were measured using a Semantic Differential scale consisting of 26 valid items with a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.949. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, and ordinal regression with a logit link function via IBM SPSS Statistics. The results indicate that income level does not significantly influence the public’s perception of the “Golden Indonesia 2045” vision; therefore, the research hypothesis is rejected. The majority of respondents across all income groups held a high perception of the “Golden Indonesia 2045” vision, indicating a strong internalization of the national narrative at the rural community level regardless of individual economic conditions. These findings challenge the assumptions of rational choice theory and are more consistent with the perspectives of social capital and the imagined community. In practical terms, the strategy for promoting the “Golden Indonesia 2045” vision does not need to be differentiated based on economic segmentation, but should instead focus on strengthening institutional trust and social cohesion at the community level.