Exploring Public Perceptions and Sentiments Toward the Planned Rupiah Redenomination: A Qualitative Study of Gen Z and Baby Boomers In Jabodetabek

Abstract

The proposed redenomination of the Indonesian Rupiah, which aims to simplify the national currency by reducing its nominal zeros, has generated continuous public discourse regarding its potential socio-economic implications. Because public interpretation of monetary adjustments is not strictly rational but is heavily influenced by distinct generational experiences and cognitive frameworks, this research aims to investigate the contrasting perceptions and sentiments of Generation Z (Gen Z) and Baby Boomers in the Jabodetabek area. Employing a qualitative exploratory design, this study conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews utilizing the DICE (Descriptive, Idiographic, Clarifying, Explanatory) probing framework to comprehensively map the underlying factors shaping public attitudes. The collected qualitative narratives were then systematically processed using Python-based computational text analysis coding, integrating the RoBERTa transformer model for deep contextual understanding alongside the VADER tool for an in-depth, sentence-per-line sentiment evaluation.

The results reveal that both generational cohorts are overwhelmingly dominated by negative sentiments toward the redenomination policy that stems from a persistent lack of clear, comprehensive economic information provided by the involved institutions, with the negativity among Baby Boomers being profoundly anchored in their traumatic historical economic experiences and limited exposure to diverse information channels.