Identifying Indonesia: Pancasila and the Roots of Indonesian Identity

Identifying Indonesia: Pancasila and the Roots of Indonesian Identity

In the colonial territory of the Netherlands Indies, various ethnic groups found themselves ruled by one Dutch colonial administration. In this political environment, Indonesians constructed a national identity that would be tested and challenged for decades. This remains embodied in the Pancasila ideology, the single foundational philosophy that underpins the Indonesian state until today. The paper argues that, to fully comprehend the compromises made when formulating Pancasila in 1945, Indonesia's national development during the Dutch era must be taken into account and understood. The paper will explain the roots of the Pancasila philosophy by focusing on Indonesians' colonial-era expression of anti-colonial political views. The political class that emerged during the pre-war era later became responsible for the actual formulation of Pancasila and preparations for Indonesian independence. This paper, thus, will explain how Pancasila came to contain elements of nationalism, socialism, and the Islamic religion, while simultaneously providing the unifying force that underpins the Republic of Indonesia. This paper traces how Indonesian intellectuals were socio-politically educated and shaped during the Dutch and Japanese eras, thereby explaining the mindsets and actions behind the creation and formation of Pancasila, a unique philosophy that serves as the basis and heart of the independent Republic of Indonesia. Mapping the underlying factors behind Pancasila, this paper argues that the limited focus on and representation of East Indonesia was the result of missed opportunities in the growth of the Indonesian national movement.