Javanese culture not democratic and chauvinistic: Sociologist<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The kind of nationalism which grows from the
\ndominant \"undemocratic\" Javanese culture is chauvinistic, noted
\nsociologist Dr. Mochtar Naim says.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's current quest for democracy becomes a problem here
\nbecause of competing forces between the undemocratic Javanese
\nsubculture with the more egalitarian Malay subculture, Naim said.<\/p>\n
In a cultural lecture at the Jakarta Arts Center in Taman
\nIsmail Marzuki here last week, Naim said the Nusantara
\n(archipelago) culture basically consists of two split,
\nconflicting sub-cultures.<\/p>\n
The first sub-culture is Malayan which is \"other-oriented\" in
\nnature and was historically influenced by Islam. It is found
\nmainly in Sumatra and regions outside of Java.<\/p>\n
The other sub-culture is the Hindu-influenced Javanese culture
\nwhich has a centripetal \"self-oriented pattern, according to the
\nstaff lecturer of Andalas University in Padang, West Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Due to its centrist nature, the Javanese culture is always
\ntrying to \"conquer external, 'other' cultural values, and align
\nthem with its traditional pattern which it a priori deems the
\nbest and does not need to be changed\", he said.<\/p>\n
As a result, the nationalism that grows among people of
\nJavanese culture tends to be chauvinistic, he added.<\/p>\n
The Javanese sub-culture treats \"any concept which comes from
\noutside, including the concept of democracy, as something which
\nshould be aligned with existing paradigms of values,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Out of such convictions, he said, Indonesia attached various
\nancillary notions to the democracy concept and gave birth to the
\nso-called \"guided democracy\" or \"Pancasila democracy\", he added.<\/p>\n
Malayan culture<\/p>\n
The centrifugal Malayan sub-culture, on the other hand, is
\nconcerned with efforts to adjust itself to the bigger and
\nuniversal existing values. As a consequence, progress and reform
\ncan take place normally because they are treated as something
\nthat has to be done, he said.<\/p>\n
Out of such cultural dichotomy, grows both cultural powers
\nwhich are harmonious with democracy concepts, and those which are
\nundemocratic, he said.<\/p>\n
However, since the national awakening era of the early 1900s,
\nthe society has started to demand \"Western-model\" democracy as
\npart of its quest for independence from foreign colony.<\/p>\n
The demands for such democracy and equality before the law
\nbecame the base of Indonesia's 1945 Constitution, according to
\nNaim.<\/p>\n
The first 15 years of the republic's life, since its
\ndeclaration of independence in 1945, saw the application of a
\ndemocratic, more open, political system, he said. Since the
\n1960s, and until today, the Javanese sub-culture prevails, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Naim, who is former chairman of the center for studies of
\nMinangkabau ethnic group, went on to explain that the dichotomy
\nbetween the philosophies of the two sub-cultures and the demand
\nfor Western-style democracy later created conflicting
\n\"undercurrents.\"<\/p>\n
The down draft, which is launched by the formal power
\nholders', is full of symbols of modern political ideologies
\ndisguised as \"democracy\".<\/p>\n
Undercurrent<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the undercurrent, that is, the aspiration
\nof the mass, is controlled by the traditional political system,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
However, since the nation is committed to democracy, the \"down
\ndraft\" should be aligned with the undercurrent instead of the
\nother way around, he said.<\/p>\n
The discussion was attended by some 100 students and scholars,
\nincluding poets Taufik Ismail and Hardi.<\/p>\n
In the earlier part of his lecture, Naim, who received his
\ndoctorate from the University of Singapore, quoted American
\nsociologist Harry Benda who said that democracy as a political
\nsystem was non existent during the pre-colonial Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"What Indonesia had during that period was feudalistic, even
\nautocratic and absolute, system,\" Naim said.<\/p>\n
It therefore could be concluded that democracy did not
\noriginate from Indonesian culture, he said.<\/p>\n
This is despite some people's recent claims that democracy and
\nthe values which are now embodied in the state ideology of
\nPancasila, are derived from Indonesian culture, he said. (swe)<\/p>",
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