Democratic Political Ethics

Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar M.A., Ph.D.

Indonesia's long journey of democracy will be tested again in the upcoming 2024 elections.

Political behavior and ethics appearing in public face complex challenges, especially how to build Pancasila democracy and maintain mutual trust between the nation's citizens. Interpreting democracy with people's participation in determining their voting rights is a jargon that is well known. However, simplifying democracy without building trust is a dangerous seed of disaster.

The appearance of democracy in the presidential elections, regional elections and legislative elections this time is a worrying area. On the one hand, open community participation efforts are an expression of democracy; However, on the other hand, the seeds of distrust are strengthening. Moreover, political parties no longer rely on ideological achievements for the sake of a healthy democracy. Pragmatic political interests became prominent negotiations.

Democracy and Trust

Starting in 1999 with democratic elections, until 2024, this is a democratic experience that we need to maintain after the New Order era which was full of pressure. For the 2024 democracy party, our attention will be focused on the dynamics of political parties in building coalitions to be able to nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates.

We have hope, but there is a feeling of anxiety because the coalition between parties seems to be zig-zag formed based on negotiation of interests (political interest) rather than the ideological agenda of party jargon (political ideology) which is committed to the democratic philosophy of Pancasila. Prioritizing political decisions by collective party power is part of democratic practice in general.

It can be seen that the party leaders are hostage to their own problems. Instead of efforts to negotiate and find a safe way to protect its interests, democracy at this level presents a democratic dilemma as stated by Francis Fukuyama, a US historian and political scientist. According to him, the appearance of democracy that relies on party consensus weakens ideal democracy. He suggested that mutual trust needs to be maximized to strengthen the direction of democracy.

The current election represents an important test of how trust is built. Negotiations between parties to nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates rely more on political power figures and alliances as part of the democratic process. However, very strong client-patron politics with the ruler's "single power" mobility model will undermine the direction of our democracy which is being built.

If each party contests not on the jargon of the party ideology it is fighting for, but on the interests of its party leadership, then procedural democracy will always be a model of democracy in Indonesia. The people only become mats for the rulers to sit on.

It is now understood that there are three large coalitions of parties to nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates. First, the Golkar, PAN, Democrat and Gerindra coalition. Second, the PDI-P and PPP coalition. Third, the coalition of Nasdem, PKS and PKB. Slices of these three coalitions blended into political negotiations to strengthen the hegemony of their alliance, without any ideological struggle for the establishment of democracy as initiated by the Founding Fathers.

The stronger consequence is the prominence of distrust between the nation's children, especially between parties. The author sees that each other can "nudge" each other, ignoring the spirit of political ethics. In the current context, it is necessary to develop a rational approach, as stated by Charles Thilly (2007) in the book Democracy which starts from trust.

He explained that trust is the basis of belief in democracy where every person or institution has a strong desire to achieve prosperity, not just procedural democracy. This step, according to him, is an effort to provide benefits to society in avoiding the dilemma of democracy.

In Indonesia, politics is not just a public decision-making process, but also a stage of power, ideological competition, and a reflection of the social dynamics of society.

However, in the current context, there is an urgent need to adopt a wise political concept - an approach that is wise, balanced, and capable of creating civility, kinship and mutual progress. Can democracy be used as a basis without developing political ethics, or in other words, democracy is simply providing support from the people without using political ethics at all.

Indonesian Political Ethics

Since the birth of the Founding Fathers, Indonesianism was built based on a culture of family and mutual respect with noble, civilized values. The Founding Fathers of the Nation took great pains to develop the country to establish a model of statehood, not merely adopting systems from outside, but always looking at how the cultural and Indonesian context could be embedded in nationality and statehood.

So Pancasila is a noble discovery to be used as the basis for a country to be civilized in diversity. This state foundation saved Indonesia from complicated diversity, between nationalism and religion. So the uniqueness of our politics to date combines cultural values, such as openness, respect and civilized family. The party's values and ethics must be reflected in the way the Founding Fathers conducted politics in the early days of Indonesia.

If Indonesianness is the direction of Indonesian politics, are current political practices built on ethics based on Indonesian reason, or on pre-Republican Indonesian reasoning which was based on tribalism and the royal model?

Our democratic practices are still very young before finally becoming an established democratic country. Competition between contestants, both parties and presidential and vice presidential candidates, must always prioritize consistent noble ethics in their words and actions.

Political displays that are double-faced and, moreover, devoid of Indonesian ethics, will be a bad example for the next generation. Playing the song Indonesia Raya at every official meeting or kendurian in various places must be an important reflection and foundation in political ethics. If we sing the national anthem all the time but we practice politics in other ways, what other values will we believe in?

"Civil Society" for Political Justice

Civil society has a very important role in developing and strengthening a country's political system. Active involvement of various elements of civil society, such as non-governmental organizations, NGOs, advocacy groups, and volunteer communities, is the key to creating and maintaining ideal politics in a country.

Ideal political empowerment through civil society involvement is the foundation for a more democratic, inclusive and responsible society. This effort is to bridge the frozen independence of parties in voicing their idealism which has become hostage to power circles.

Civil society plays a role as social control over the government and political parties. They act as critical checks on power, especially government policy, promoting transparency, accountability, and fairness in the political process.

Honest and fair elections are currently at stake that must be controlled together. Civil society involvement also provides a forum for community participation in the political process.

By providing political education and criticizing public policies, civil society encourages inclusive participation from all levels of society.

Ideal political empowerment through civil society involvement also builds bridges between government and society. Through constructive collaboration, civil society can create policies that are more inclusive and responsive to people's needs.

By encouraging ongoing participation, monitoring and advocacy, civil society becomes an agent of change capable of creating politics that is more responsive, inclusive and supports the interests of society.

One of the German philosophers who has very relevant views in the context of politics and community empowerment is Jürgen Habermas. In his book, The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere (1962), he emphasized the importance of healthy and rational communication dynamics in society.

Referring to his view, at the 2024 democratic party we must place the public space as an open space for discussion, and produce a collective understanding of political problems without any feeling of fear or intimidation.

However, we need to be wary of the existence of "pseudo-public spheres", where political narratives and policies are influenced by certain interests, sometimes without actual involvement from society. This is caused by the play of the public sphere by political forces, media commercialization and technological developments. To stem the political current that can degrade democratic values, we must strengthen community empowerment through active participation in healthy public spaces.

Rational communication and arguments based on truth in the political process will maintain the democratic process itself. An absolute requirement for democracy is not just participation, but also meaningful discussion, accurate information, and a critical and constructive exchange of ideas.

During the 1998 reform era, many lives were lost due to the struggle to achieve a healthy democracy. We must thank those who have become victims for the sake of democracy today. Without them, it seems impossible for us to have presidents like Abdurahman Wahid, Megawati Soekarnoputri, Susilo Bambang Yudoyono and Joko Widodo.

Now is the time for us to ask, are we going to turn back the clock with a pseudo-democracy model, namely democracy that is visible only on the surface, but is actually still far from the goal of democracy itself?

Communicative Culture

Creating polite and ideal politics that promotes openness to others requires a series of principles, practices and values that underlie political behavior. It is important to understand that polite politics is rooted in ethics, respect and responsibility towards individuals and society. Openness in a political context involves transparency, participation, and a willingness to hear and understand different perspectives.

One way to create polite and open politics is through a political culture based on ethical values, integrity and mutual respect. Leaders and other political actors must demonstrate polite behavior, communicate tactfully, and strive to maintain ethical norms in their political interactions. Civility in politics involves understanding that differences of opinion are normal, even necessary in building better decisions.

Openness in politics must be strengthened through transparency in decision making. Information regarding policies, political decisions and decision-making processes must be available and accessible to the public.

This not only enables community involvement in the political process, but also strengthens the legitimacy of the political decisions taken.

Apart from that, it is also important to create space for inclusive public participation. Openness in politics requires a framework that allows the active participation of various groups and levels of society. Open dialogue, focused discussions, and opportunities for the community to provide input are important in creating more inclusive politics.

Ultimately, creating polite and open politics requires a shared commitment to building a political culture based on ethical values, integrity and openness. This involves active participation, transparency, a willingness to listen, and respect for diverse interests in society. In this way, politics can become a vehicle that advances common interests and creates a fairer and more inclusive order for all.

Facing the political dynamics of this country, it is important to strengthen civilized political values. The balance between political interests, justice, freedom and accountability is the foundation that will lead Indonesia towards sustainable progress. Hopefully a democratic party of peace and justice will be realized in 2024. 

The author is Professor and Rector of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. The article was published in the opinion column of KOMPAS Newspaper, Wednesday 22 November 2023.