Pancasila Indonesia
Encyclopedia
Pancasila is the official philosophical
foundation of the Indonesia
n state. Pancasila consists of two Sanskrit
words, "pañca" meaning five, and "sīla" meaning principles. It comprises five principles held to be inseparable and interrelated:
Sukarno
promulgated Pancasila as "Dasar Negara" (philosophical foundation/political philosophy of Indonesian state). Sukarno's political philosophy was mainly a fuse of elements of Socialism
, nationalism
and monotheism
. This is reflected in a proposition of his version of Pancasila he proposed to the Badan Penyelidik Usaha Persiapan Kemerdekaan (Investigation Committee for Independence Preparation Efforts, without the word "Indonesia" since it is enacted by XVI Japanese Army, Kaigun, for Java only), in which he originally espoused them in a speech known as "The Birth of the Pancasila" on June 1, 1945:
After several BPUPKI meetings, the five principles (sila) proposed by Sukarno in 1 June 1945, were rearranged. The fifth sila concerning religiousity was promoted to become the first sila. Internationalism, justice and humanity remain as parts of the second sila. The previously first sila about nationalism become the third sila about Indonesian unity. The third and fourth sila about democracy and social warfare become the fourth and fifth sila.
He thus helped solve the conflict between Muslim
s, nationalists and Christian
s. The 1945 Constitution
then set forth the Pancasila as the embodiment of basic principles of an independent Indonesian state.
. It also implies that the Indonesian people believe in life after death
. It emphasizes that the pursuit of sacred values will lead the people to a better life in the hereafter. The principle is embodied in the 1945 Constitution and reads: "The state shall be based on the belief in the one and only God". It is represented by the star in the center of the shield of the Garuda Pancasila.
, of love for one’s nation and motherland. It envisages the need to always foster national unity and integrity. Pancasila nationalism demands that Indonesians avoid feelings of superiority on the grounds of ethnicity, for reasons of ancestry and skin color. In his 1 June 1945 speech, Sukarno quoted Gandhi: I am a nationalist, but my nationalism is humanity. The Indonesian coat of arms enshrines the symbol of "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika
" which means "unity in diversity". This is represented on the shield by the banyan tree at top right.
that lives up to the principles of Pancasila. The head of the wild bull at top left stands for this sila.
and the national potentials should be utilized for the greatest possible good and happiness of the people. Social justice implies protection of the weak. But protection should not deny them work. On the contrary, they should work according to their abilities and fields of activity. Protection should prevent willful treatment by the strong and ensure the rule of justice. This is symbolized by the paddy and cotton ears on the shield.
(Ketuhanan Yang Maha Esa). During the negotiations concerning this principle the nationalists were concerned that the formulation ought to promote religious freedom. The Muslims wanted a formulation where the religion
of Indonesia is Islam
.
A historical anachronism
is found in the Constitution. On August 18, 1945, the group that ratified the Constitution unanimously agreed that the term "Allah
" should be replaced by "Tuhan" (God), a more general term which was supported by the Hindus
. The word 'Ketuhanan' and 'Allah' is used in the preamble to the Constitution, but the term 'Allah' appears in Article 9, which specifies the wording of the presidential oath of office. There is an alternative presidential 'promise' in the same article which does not mention God at all.
Indonesia's second president, Suharto, was a strong supporter of Pancasila. In his time Pancasila was made mandatory in the constitutions of social and religious organisations. Additionally, a one or two week course in Pancasila (P4) was made obligatory for all who wanted to take higher education, although this course was held to justify what he's done.
, Alexander Andries Maramis, Ahmad Subardjo, Ki Hadikusumo, Wachid Hasyim, Agus Salim
and Abikusno). Sukarno accepted the suggestion of the other members of the committee to change the "sequence" of Pancasila. The fifth Sila of Sukarno become the first Sila of the "Jakarta Charter" and the wording became "Ketuhanan dengan kewajiban menjalankan syariah Islam bagi pemeluk-pemeluknya" (Belief in Almighty God with the obligation for its Muslim adherents to carry out the Islamic law/Syari'ah). On August 18, 1945 the Committee for the preparation of Indonesian Independence changed the formulation of the first sentence of Pancasila by removing the words "with the obligation of its Muslims adherents to follow Syariah", so the first sila became "Ketuhanan Yang Maha Esa".
on 1 June 1945. Sukarno always stated that Pancasila was the original philosophy of Indonesian origin, which he found out of the philosophical tradition taking roots in Indonesian history, including indigenous philosophical tradition, Indian-Hindu, Western-Christian, and Arab-Islamic traditions. 'Ketuhanan', to him, was originally indigenous and he is true, while 'Kemanusiaan' was inspired by Hindu concept of Tat Twam Asi, Islamic concept of fardhukifayah, and Christian concept of Hebt Uw naasten lief gelijk U zelve, God boven alles. Actually the first "Sila" of Sukarno is "Negara Kebangsaan" ("National State"/"Nationalism") which later become the third "Sila","Persatuan"; The third "Sila" of Sukarno become the fourth Sila of Jakarta Charter/Preamble of Indonesian Constitution and the fifth Sila of Sukarno become the first Sila of Jakarta Charter and the Preamble of the Constitution. (Saafrudin Bahar et al.,1995 and Kusuma,2004). He finally explained that 'Keadilan sosial' was inspired by Javanese concept of Ratu Adil (The Just Lord), a messianic Javanese ruler who would set the people free from all kinds of oppression.
In 1945, facing the need to pull together the diverse archipelago, the future President Sukarno promulgated Pancasila as "Dasar Negara" (philosophical foundation/political philosophy of Indonesian state). Sukarno's political philosophy was mainly a fuse of elements of socialism, nationalism and monotheism. This is reflected in a proposition of his version of Pancasila he proposed to the Badan Penyelidik Usaha Persiapan Kemerdekaan (Investigation Committee for Independence Preparation Efforts, without the word "Indonesia" since it is enacted by XVI Japanese Army, Kaigun, for Java only), in which he originally espoused them in a speech known as "The Birth of the Pancasila" on June 1, 1945:
After several BPUPKI meetings, the five principles (sila) proposed by Sukarno in 1 June 1945, were rearranged. The fifth sila concerning religiousity was promoted to become the first sila. Internationalism, justice and humanity remain as parts of the second sila. The previously first sila about nationalism become the third sila about Indonesian unity. The third and fourth sila about democracy and social warfare become the fourth and fifth sila. He thus helped solve the conflict between Muslims, nationalists and Christians. The 1945 Constitution then set forth the Pancasila as the embodiment of basic principles of an independent Indonesian state.
) which accords with Pancasila’s five basic teachings. ‘Ketuhanan’, ‘Kemanusiaan’, ‘Persatuan’, ‘Kerakyatan’, and ‘Keadilan Sosial’ were claimed by them as purely Indonesian notions of indigenous origin. They proved the teachings as indigenous by exploring and finding out adat legacies scattered out in provinces of Indonesia, such as adat
social structure, adat literary products, adat religious teachings, and adat ethics. They succeeded enormously and their findings were used by Suharto to unite Indonesian people. Among the Pancasila philosophers sponsored by Suharto are Sunoto and R. Parmono. They both are also known as the pioneers of Indonesian philosophy studies.
Suharto's concept of Pancasila was deeply ingrained in Javanese
highly feudalistic and mystical political culture, which to some extent is incompatible with the more egalitarian and pragmatic political culture of the outer islands.
religions, which are practiced by a significant minority of Indonesians. It is also criticized by atheists and secular Indonesians who feel that their rights are violated.
The 1st principle of the Pancasila is argued by some to be in opposition to the Indonesian Constitution (UUD 1945), stated as:
However, Indonesian scholars have long argued that the full spectrum of beliefs are allowed, and no contradiction exists. Additionally, there is a ban on communism
in Indonesia, of which atheism is an integral element.
The complex State legal argument against atheism
or agnosticism
is difficult to condense—but essentially atheism as denial of God not so much implies illegal communist leanings but denies the sacrosanct humanity
of Indonesians and contravenes the Preamble of the Indonesian Constitution- to which all Indonesian citizens are bound, as a condition of their citizenship and by which they are oath-bound to via retention of citizenship.
In contrast, some conservative
Muslim
s have criticized Pancasila for being too secular and inclusive, diluting the uniqueness of Islam by placing man-made precepts at a higher level than the Qur'an
. For example, the Jemaah Islamiyah
(JI) terror group is the latest anti-Pancasila manifestation. JI's precursor was the Darul Islam movement which in 1948 challenged the new secularist republic through civil war
that claimed some 27,000 lives.
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
foundation of the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n state. Pancasila consists of two Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
words, "pañca" meaning five, and "sīla" meaning principles. It comprises five principles held to be inseparable and interrelated:
- Belief in the one and only God, (in Indonesian, Ketuhanan Yang Maha Esa).
- JustJusticeJustice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
and civilized humanity, (in Indonesian, Kemanusiaan Yang Adil dan Beradab). - The unity of Indonesia, (in Indonesian, Persatuan Indonesia).
- DemocracyDemocracyDemocracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising out of deliberations amongst representatives (in Indonesian, Kerakyatan Yang Dipimpin oleh Hikmat Kebijaksanaan, Dalam Permusyawaratan dan Perwakilan) - Social justiceSocial justiceSocial justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
for all of the people of Indonesia (in Indonesian, Keadilan Sosial bagi seluruh Rakyat Indonesia)
History
In 1945, facing the need to pull together the diverse archipelago, the future PresidentPresident
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
promulgated Pancasila as "Dasar Negara" (philosophical foundation/political philosophy of Indonesian state). Sukarno's political philosophy was mainly a fuse of elements of Socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
and monotheism
Monotheism
Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
. This is reflected in a proposition of his version of Pancasila he proposed to the Badan Penyelidik Usaha Persiapan Kemerdekaan (Investigation Committee for Independence Preparation Efforts, without the word "Indonesia" since it is enacted by XVI Japanese Army, Kaigun, for Java only), in which he originally espoused them in a speech known as "The Birth of the Pancasila" on June 1, 1945:
- Kebangsaan Indonesia (Indonesian Nationality), an emphasis on NationalismNationalismNationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
- Internasionalisme (InternationalismInternationalism (politics)Internationalism is a political movement which advocates a greater economic and political cooperation among nations for the theoretical benefit of all...
), an emphasis about justiceJusticeJustice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
and humanityHumanity (virtue)The virtue, humanity, is a set of strengths focused on “tending and befriending others.” The three strengths associated with humanity are love, kindness, and social intelligence. Humanity differs from justice in that there is a level of altruism towards individuals included in humanity more so than... - Musyawarah Mufakat (Deliberative Consensus), an emphasis on Representative democracyRepresentative democracyRepresentative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
which hold no ethnic dominance but equal vote for each member of the council - Kesejahteraan Sosial (Social Welfare), influenced by Welfare-state idea, an emphasis on Populist SocialismSocialismSocialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
- KeTuhanan yang Berkebudayaan, MonotheismMonotheismMonotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
and Religiousity
After several BPUPKI meetings, the five principles (sila) proposed by Sukarno in 1 June 1945, were rearranged. The fifth sila concerning religiousity was promoted to become the first sila. Internationalism, justice and humanity remain as parts of the second sila. The previously first sila about nationalism become the third sila about Indonesian unity. The third and fourth sila about democracy and social warfare become the fourth and fifth sila.
He thus helped solve the conflict between Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, nationalists and Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s. The 1945 Constitution
Constitution of Indonesia
The Constitution of Indonesia is the basis for the government of the Indonesia.The constitution was written in June, July and August 1945, when Indonesia was emerging from Japanese control at the end of World War II...
then set forth the Pancasila as the embodiment of basic principles of an independent Indonesian state.
Belief in the one and only God
Ketuhanan yang Maha Esa: This principle emphasizes belief in GodGod
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. It also implies that the Indonesian people believe in life after death
Life After Death
Life After Death is the second and final studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released March 25, 1997 on Bad Boy Records. A double album, it was released posthumously following his death on March 9, 1997 and serves as his final studio album...
. It emphasizes that the pursuit of sacred values will lead the people to a better life in the hereafter. The principle is embodied in the 1945 Constitution and reads: "The state shall be based on the belief in the one and only God". It is represented by the star in the center of the shield of the Garuda Pancasila.
Just and civilized humanity
Kemanusiaan yang Adil dan Beradab: This principle requires that human beings be treated with due regard to their dignity as God’s creatures. It emphasizes that the Indonesian people do not tolerate physical or spiritual oppression of human beings by their own people or by any other nation. The chain at the lower right of the shield symbolizes successive generations of humanity.The unity of Indonesia
Persatuan Indonesia: This principle embodies the concept of nationalismNationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
, of love for one’s nation and motherland. It envisages the need to always foster national unity and integrity. Pancasila nationalism demands that Indonesians avoid feelings of superiority on the grounds of ethnicity, for reasons of ancestry and skin color. In his 1 June 1945 speech, Sukarno quoted Gandhi: I am a nationalist, but my nationalism is humanity. The Indonesian coat of arms enshrines the symbol of "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika
Bhinneka Tunggal Ika
Bhinneka Tunggal Ika is the official national motto of Indonesia. The phrase is Old Javanese translated as "Unity in Diversity,". It is inscribed in the Indonesian national symbol, Garuda Pancasila , and is mentioned specifically in article 36A of the Constitution of Indonesia.It is a quotation...
" which means "unity in diversity". This is represented on the shield by the banyan tree at top right.
Democracy guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising out of deliberations amongst representatives
Kerakyatan yang Dipimpin oleh Hikmat Kebijaksanaan dalam Permusyawaratan/Perwakilan: Pancasila democracy calls for decision-making through deliberations, or musyawarah, to reach a consensus, or mufakat. It implies that voting is not encouraged as long as deliberation is possible. It is democracyDemocracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
that lives up to the principles of Pancasila. The head of the wild bull at top left stands for this sila.
Social justice for the whole of the people of Indonesia
Keadilan Sosial bagi Seluruh Rakyat Indonesia: This principle calls for the equitable spread of welfare to the entire population, not in a static but in a dynamic and progressive way. This means that all of the country’s natural resourcesNatural Resources
Natural Resources is a soul album released by Motown girl group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas in 1970 on the Gordy label. The album is significant for the Vietnam War ballad "I Should Be Proud" and the slow jam, "Love Guess Who"...
and the national potentials should be utilized for the greatest possible good and happiness of the people. Social justice implies protection of the weak. But protection should not deny them work. On the contrary, they should work according to their abilities and fields of activity. Protection should prevent willful treatment by the strong and ensure the rule of justice. This is symbolized by the paddy and cotton ears on the shield.
Development
Since its inception, Pancasila has been the subject of differences of opinion. One prime area of contention concerns the first of the five "pillars", the requirement for a belief in the all-oneness of GodGod
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
(Ketuhanan Yang Maha Esa). During the negotiations concerning this principle the nationalists were concerned that the formulation ought to promote religious freedom. The Muslims wanted a formulation where the religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
of Indonesia is Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
A historical anachronism
Anachronism
An anachronism—from the Greek ανά and χρόνος — is an inconsistency in some chronological arrangement, especially a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other...
is found in the Constitution. On August 18, 1945, the group that ratified the Constitution unanimously agreed that the term "Allah
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
" should be replaced by "Tuhan" (God), a more general term which was supported by the Hindus
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
. The word 'Ketuhanan' and 'Allah' is used in the preamble to the Constitution, but the term 'Allah' appears in Article 9, which specifies the wording of the presidential oath of office. There is an alternative presidential 'promise' in the same article which does not mention God at all.
Indonesia's second president, Suharto, was a strong supporter of Pancasila. In his time Pancasila was made mandatory in the constitutions of social and religious organisations. Additionally, a one or two week course in Pancasila (P4) was made obligatory for all who wanted to take higher education, although this course was held to justify what he's done.
Philosophy of Pancasila
The content of the philosophy has been changeably interpreted by different philosophers. Pancasila has been an object of philosophical discourse since 1945 onwards. The Pancasila philosophers continually reinterpreted the content, so that its meaning varied from time to time. The following are chronological analyses of the content of philosophies of Pancasila.The Founding Fathers’ philosophy
The first draft of Pancasila was formulated by Sukarno (Nationalism, Internationalism, Representative Democracy, Social Justice and Belief in the One and Only God), delivered on June 1, 1945 before the Investigating Committee for the Preparation for Independence (Indonesian: Badan Penyelidik Usaha Persiapan Kemerdekaan (BPUPK), without the word "Indonesia". The second draft of Pancasila was formulated in the "Jakarta Charter" by the Committee of Nine (Panitia Sembilan) (Sukarno, Muhammad Hatta, Muhammad YaminMuhammad Yamin
Muhammad Yamin was born in Talawi, Sawahlunto, in the heartland of the Minangkabau on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. He was the son of Oesman Gelar Baginda Khatib the Penghulu of Indrapura...
, Alexander Andries Maramis, Ahmad Subardjo, Ki Hadikusumo, Wachid Hasyim, Agus Salim
Agus Salim
Haji Agus Salim was one of Indonesia's founding fathers and prominent diplomats. He played a leading role in the creation of the Indonesian constitution in 1945 and served as Indonesia's Foreign Minister between 1947 and 1949.-Early life:...
and Abikusno). Sukarno accepted the suggestion of the other members of the committee to change the "sequence" of Pancasila. The fifth Sila of Sukarno become the first Sila of the "Jakarta Charter" and the wording became "Ketuhanan dengan kewajiban menjalankan syariah Islam bagi pemeluk-pemeluknya" (Belief in Almighty God with the obligation for its Muslim adherents to carry out the Islamic law/Syari'ah). On August 18, 1945 the Committee for the preparation of Indonesian Independence changed the formulation of the first sentence of Pancasila by removing the words "with the obligation of its Muslims adherents to follow Syariah", so the first sila became "Ketuhanan Yang Maha Esa".
Sukarno’s philosophy
The first draft of the Pancasila philosophy was formulated by SukarnoSukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
on 1 June 1945. Sukarno always stated that Pancasila was the original philosophy of Indonesian origin, which he found out of the philosophical tradition taking roots in Indonesian history, including indigenous philosophical tradition, Indian-Hindu, Western-Christian, and Arab-Islamic traditions. 'Ketuhanan', to him, was originally indigenous and he is true, while 'Kemanusiaan' was inspired by Hindu concept of Tat Twam Asi, Islamic concept of fardhukifayah, and Christian concept of Hebt Uw naasten lief gelijk U zelve, God boven alles. Actually the first "Sila" of Sukarno is "Negara Kebangsaan" ("National State"/"Nationalism") which later become the third "Sila","Persatuan"; The third "Sila" of Sukarno become the fourth Sila of Jakarta Charter/Preamble of Indonesian Constitution and the fifth Sila of Sukarno become the first Sila of Jakarta Charter and the Preamble of the Constitution. (Saafrudin Bahar et al.,1995 and Kusuma,2004). He finally explained that 'Keadilan sosial' was inspired by Javanese concept of Ratu Adil (The Just Lord), a messianic Javanese ruler who would set the people free from all kinds of oppression.
In 1945, facing the need to pull together the diverse archipelago, the future President Sukarno promulgated Pancasila as "Dasar Negara" (philosophical foundation/political philosophy of Indonesian state). Sukarno's political philosophy was mainly a fuse of elements of socialism, nationalism and monotheism. This is reflected in a proposition of his version of Pancasila he proposed to the Badan Penyelidik Usaha Persiapan Kemerdekaan (Investigation Committee for Independence Preparation Efforts, without the word "Indonesia" since it is enacted by XVI Japanese Army, Kaigun, for Java only), in which he originally espoused them in a speech known as "The Birth of the Pancasila" on June 1, 1945:
- Kebangsaan Indonesia (Indonesian Nationality), an emphasis on nationalism
- Internasionalisme (Internationalism), an emphasis about justice and humanity
- Musyawarah Mufakat (Deliberative Consensus), an emphasis on representative democracy which hold no ethnic dominance but equal vote for each member of the council
- Kesejahteraan Sosial (Social Welfare), influenced by Welfare-state idea, an emphasis on populist socialism
- KeTuhanan yang Berkebudayaan, monotheism and religiousity
After several BPUPKI meetings, the five principles (sila) proposed by Sukarno in 1 June 1945, were rearranged. The fifth sila concerning religiousity was promoted to become the first sila. Internationalism, justice and humanity remain as parts of the second sila. The previously first sila about nationalism become the third sila about Indonesian unity. The third and fourth sila about democracy and social warfare become the fourth and fifth sila. He thus helped solve the conflict between Muslims, nationalists and Christians. The 1945 Constitution then set forth the Pancasila as the embodiment of basic principles of an independent Indonesian state.
Suharto’s philosophy
In Suharto’s hands, the philosophy of Pancasila underwent what is called ‘indigenization’. All Western elements subsumed within Pancasila since 1945 were eradicated systematically by some groups of Pancasila philosophers, sponsored by Suharto through his Culture and Education Department (Depdikbud) in order to find out indigenous legacy (adatAdat
Adat in Indonesian-Malay culture is the set of cultural norms, values, customs and practices found among specific ethnic groups in Indonesia, the southern Philippines and Malaysia...
) which accords with Pancasila’s five basic teachings. ‘Ketuhanan’, ‘Kemanusiaan’, ‘Persatuan’, ‘Kerakyatan’, and ‘Keadilan Sosial’ were claimed by them as purely Indonesian notions of indigenous origin. They proved the teachings as indigenous by exploring and finding out adat legacies scattered out in provinces of Indonesia, such as adat
Adat
Adat in Indonesian-Malay culture is the set of cultural norms, values, customs and practices found among specific ethnic groups in Indonesia, the southern Philippines and Malaysia...
social structure, adat literary products, adat religious teachings, and adat ethics. They succeeded enormously and their findings were used by Suharto to unite Indonesian people. Among the Pancasila philosophers sponsored by Suharto are Sunoto and R. Parmono. They both are also known as the pioneers of Indonesian philosophy studies.
Suharto's concept of Pancasila was deeply ingrained in Javanese
Javanese beliefs
Javanese beliefs have principles embodying a search for inner self but at the core is the concept of peace of mind. Although Kejawen is not strictly a religious affiliation, it addresses ethical and spiritual values as inspired by Javanese tradition. It is not a religion in usual sense of the...
highly feudalistic and mystical political culture, which to some extent is incompatible with the more egalitarian and pragmatic political culture of the outer islands.
Criticisms
Principle 1 in particular has been criticised by some Western observers who allege it denies the rights of believers in polytheisticPolytheism
Polytheism is the belief of multiple deities also usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own mythologies and rituals....
religions, which are practiced by a significant minority of Indonesians. It is also criticized by atheists and secular Indonesians who feel that their rights are violated.
The 1st principle of the Pancasila is argued by some to be in opposition to the Indonesian Constitution (UUD 1945), stated as:
Chapter XI. Religion
Article 29
1. The State shall be based upon the belief in the One and Only God.
2. The State guarantees all persons the freedom of worship, each according to his/her own religion or belief.
However, Indonesian scholars have long argued that the full spectrum of beliefs are allowed, and no contradiction exists. Additionally, there is a ban on communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
in Indonesia, of which atheism is an integral element.
The complex State legal argument against atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
or agnosticism
Agnosticism
Agnosticism is the view that the truth value of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, but also other religious and metaphysical claims—is unknown or unknowable....
is difficult to condense—but essentially atheism as denial of God not so much implies illegal communist leanings but denies the sacrosanct humanity
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
of Indonesians and contravenes the Preamble of the Indonesian Constitution- to which all Indonesian citizens are bound, as a condition of their citizenship and by which they are oath-bound to via retention of citizenship.
In contrast, some conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s have criticized Pancasila for being too secular and inclusive, diluting the uniqueness of Islam by placing man-made precepts at a higher level than the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
. For example, the Jemaah Islamiyah
Jemaah Islamiyah
Jemaah Islamiah , is a Southeast Asian militant Islamic organization dedicated to the establishment of a Daulah Islamiyah in Southeast Asia incorporating Indonesia, Malaysia, the southern Philippines, Singapore and Brunei...
(JI) terror group is the latest anti-Pancasila manifestation. JI's precursor was the Darul Islam movement which in 1948 challenged the new secularist republic through civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
that claimed some 27,000 lives.