In the Face of an Uphill Road

Developed countries in the West, which are also known as a model of modern democracy, have increasingly experienced a growing demographic diversity for the last three decades in terms of ethnicity, language and religion. This has mainly been driven by immigration flow.

The plurality of ethnic identity, which should be a source of pride as a democratic country that upholds universal human values, has shifted to be viewed negatively by some groups, thus generating ultranationalist anti-immigrant sentiments toward colored people. These colored immigrants demand equal rights, both as fellow human beings and as legally recognized citizens.

Ethnic, cultural and language identities are increasingly coming to the fore, giving rise to social grouping and segregation. The development of digital technology opens up space for freedom for anyone to express aspirations and have their individual and collective identities recognized. This situation has also increasingly pushed the emergence of identity politics in several countries, with them striving for political recognition for the sake of dignity.

Also read:

> Identity Politics and Public Civility

> Restraining Identity Politics

Yascha Mounk in The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure (2022) warns that if not anticipated and approached wisely, ethnic plurality may give birth to sociopolitical conflict that potentially hinder the progress of a nation and state.

When threats over climate change and war-impacted economic crisis appeared, peace advocates shouted for the need to build a new awareness and brotherhood based on a common identity as God's creatures inhabiting the same planet (the Earth) and living under the same sun.

However, the reference to such a common identity is often seen as a utopian and romantic view, bearing in mind that conflicts and struggles over natural resources as well as competition for power revolving over ethnic, religious and racial differences tend to arise in negligence of humanity and solidarity.

Diverse Indonesia as a model

About five decades ago, says Yascha Mounk in his book, if we asked the residents of Stockholm, Vienna, or Tokyo their opinions about who were included as citizens, they would point to those who spoke the same language, which was the language inherited from their ancestors. So, language would appear to be the binding identity of a nation.

However, currently ethnic and linguistic homogeneity as an identity for a country is difficult to maintain. In the United States, there are various immigrant communities who speak their native language. Many Chinese in the US do not speak English. Likewise in Germany, France and England, many immigrants still staunchly stick to their ancestral language, tradition and religion. The implications are that this ethnic group tends to be exclusive with it being disinclined and difficult to merge into the majority or mainstream group.

Of all the diverse nations in terms of ethnicity, language and religion, Indonesia has its own uniqueness, which should be used as a model for and contribution to the global communities. Since the early time when this state was founded, the people of Nusantara (archipelagic territory) have been living in a diverse society. This pluralism was addressed positively and seen as a social capital that must be fostered. There emerged the motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (unity in diversity). Within this ethnic diversity, local wisdom has been given room to flourish, which can serve as the foundation of social cohesion, as well as source of pride about Indonesia’s rich civilization.

Also read:

> Sustaining Unity in Diversity

> The Issue of Radicalism

Unfortunately, this rich social capital is currently at peril under the rush of capitalistic modernization and manipulative behavior of politicians who crave political gain for their cliques. They are demagogues who are only after political power by exploiting religious symbols.

Social pluralism that grows and thrives in Indonesia is very much different from that which develops in Western countries. Having thrived for a long time, since pre-independent Indonesia, pluralism seems to be a kind of DNA of this nation. To become Indonesian citizens, they do not need to migrate, unlike the case in Western countries.

Perhaps those who would be classified as migrants were the Arab and Chinese ethnics before merging themselves into a nation as Indonesian citizens. The question that will usually arise is, what binds the very pluralistic Indonesians as a society and nation?

Among the binding factors was the sense of collectivism born out of better experience of enduring the hardships under colonialism. This collective memory then gave rise to a strong urge to live together as a nation and state that was sovereign, just and prosperous. This noble historical ideal, philosophically manifested and constitutionally formulated in Pancasila, must be passed down from generation to generation as a spirit to fulfill the aspirations of independence as well as a binder of “Indonesianness.” Like a big house, Pancasila is the foundation that props up Indonesia as a socially diverse building. Replacing the doors, windows and house ornaments will still leave the building intact, but when the foundation is dismantled, the building collapses. There would no longer be a country called Indonesia.

Why a republic

The most popular definition of a republic is a government elected by the people, from the people and for the people. This established ruling system becomes the foundation and reference for the political process and actualization for a republic system adhering countries like Indonesia. The choice of the republic system for Indonesia was taken not because of any pressure or influence from Western countries that had by then practiced it.

This system was adopted out of objective conditions marked by the long journey of the people of Nusantara who had been suffering under foreign invaders and used to live under control of local kingdoms spread across the archipelago.

In other words, the emerging rulers used to be those not elected by the people, thus being deprived of the benefits of natural wealth. Natural resources were either served for a group of rulers or, in the context of colonialism, transported out by the invading powers.

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> Contest of Ideas on Being a Nation

When the reigning sultans and regional rulers agreed to support the formation of the Republic of Indonesia, it was a big and visionary decision. It was a manifestation of their big hearts and strong belief and hope that a new state, which was established by implementing the "re-public" system, would really guide its governing rulers into placing public interest as its main objective. Natural resources must be tapped and developed for the benefit of the people diversely scattered over hundreds of islands in the archipelago, because in essence they are the sovereign of this country.

After 75 years of independence, these aspirations and ideals need urgently to be resonated again so that whoever becomes head of state and nation does not end up betraying the mandate of independence for which our ancestors fought for hundreds of years.

So, the term "republic," which is attached to our state system, carries a noble message that has crystallized from a long bloody struggle for an independent state that is just and prosperous by capitalizing on Indonesia's natural wealth, thus saving it from being extorted by foreign countries in various ways and forms.

Uphill road ahead

A big nation must be navigated by a well-established philosophical mindset and strong social infrastructure. Like a large vehicle, this nation is seeing the ascending and winding road ahead. A train with big and long carriages will be dragged backwards or overturned while passing an uphill rail if the locomotive’s engine capacity and the driver do not support it.

We are entering a transitional period of generations toward the next centennial of the Republic of Indonesia. Unfortunately, world political and economic conditions are currently staggering. At home, political parties which should play as actors and pillars of democracy do not exist in good conditions. Likewise, government institutions, including the National Police, show unsatisfactory performances.

Like a large vehicle, this nation is seeing the ascending and winding road ahead.

We hope that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo can lay a strong foundation for Indonesia's future so that Indonesia is back in place with the ideals and mandates of independence. One of the noble duties of the President is to usher in a fair and transparent election to produce representatives of the people and new president who truly serve the people.

That is for the sake of the locomotive of Indonesia being able to make the challenging ascend and enter the next centennial with firm footage in the ranks of the top five developed countries in the world whose prosperity is shared equally by all people, not marginally by certain groups of people. Remember, the people's advocacy for the establishment of the republic is a noble aspiration for the progress of Indonesia that benefits all citizens.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Komaruddin Hidayat

Komaruddin Hidayat, Chancellor of the Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII)

This article was translated by Musthofid.