Essay On Indonesian Democratization

The history of Indonesian democratization is quite long and has few pushes before the state with the 4th largest population in the world (260 million people as of May 2016 estimated by UN ) came on the path of democratization and keeps going already for last 20 years. The uniqueness of Indonesian liberalization lays down on the untypical structure of society where the majority of people profess Islam (87% of population ). The state has 4th place in the world with largest Muslim population. Despite the fact that many Muslim states failed to democratize and set apart political institutions with law and religion, Indonesia succeeds in it so far and is able to manage communities of other religions, ethnic groups and cultures at the same time. However,

The time when after gaining its independence variety of parties, political institutions, liberation movements were established. Indonesian government not without pressure from the parties accepted new Constitution that lead to multiparty system, separate legislative, executive and judicial powers and the most important parliamentary republic. These were all the aspects that form a country that is run by democracy. But did it mean that Indonesia actually was on its way to liberalization? Nevertheless, the nation was not used to democratic system after so many years of being a colony, after the war for independence the political and social instability was certain. Parties with their own values and vision of the prospective future were fighting and not coming to consensus. Thus, Sukarno decided to step back and transform the country to authoritarianism with his ‘Nas-A-Kom” doctrine that stands for nationalism, religion and communism. According to his idea, nationalism will be presented by a strong Indonesian army, religion by Islamic groups that dominate in the country and communism by implantation of Soviet Union communist system and creation of nation’s ideology that was needed to unit society and eradicate instability. The Guided Democracy era began symbolized by full disagreement with Westernized democratic regimes by Sukarno, the policy oriented on empowerment of the president and increasing powerlessness