Page 118 - BUKU A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE IN INDONESIA

EFFORT TO REUNITE THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
(1950 – 1960)

THE TRANSITION TO PEOPLE’S

REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL

(1952–1954)

As one of the Southeast Asian countries undergoing a decolonization process
in the 1950s, the Government of the Republic of Indonesia adopted the idea of a

parliamentary government based on the European system of government.

THE multi-party democracy government system was considered the an-
swer in the struggle for national independence as the previous single-
party government system failed to represent the diversity of aspirations
of the Indonesian people.

During the 1920s and 1930s, under Dutch colonialism, the nationalists
had initiated an idea of parliament for Indonesia. However, in the 1960s,
Indonesian figures such as Soekarno declared that the Western parlia-
mentary government had failed Indonesia. And what the country needed
was a government system “in harmony with the spirit of Indonesia,” and
that was “a democracy with leadership” or “Guided Democracy” .

The failure of the parliamentary government system can be seen in the
history of the Indonesian government in the 1950s. The government at
the time had several characteristics: First, civilians dominated the go-
vernment. Second, political parties held an important role. Third, there
was healthy competition in democracy. Fourth, political elites greatly re-
spected the symbols of democracy. Fifth, violations of civil liberties were
minimal. And sixth, in line with the fifth point, there was a lack of coercion
in politics.

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