Optimalisasi Kapasitas Politik Aktor Demokrasi Melalui Pengembangan Blok Politik Kesejahteraan

Willy Purna Samadhi, Purwo Santoso

2015 | Tesis | Politik dan Pemerintahan

ABSTRACT The study explores problems and options that are challenged by the actors of pro-democracy movements in Indonesia. Its aim is to seek a-well-and-measurable strategies that enabling the actors to continue promote and advance democracy condition. The main analytical tools used in the study is the political capacity of the actors. It is assumed that the development of democracy depends on how the actors actualize their political capacity in dealing with the obstacles and opting for possible alternatives. At the end, the study is expected to contribute to attempts for improving the quality of popular representation. The study is an integral part of – or embeded to – democratization efforts. Reflections and democratic experiences from the ground have been collected systematically, and the results are transformed into action plans for the coming phase. In short, this is the study on democracy and democratization in the frame of transformative politics. Formulation of recommendation is based on analysing of characteristics of political capacity of the pro-democracy actors. The study concludes that during the period of 2008-2013, the actors have tendency to become populist. It is characterized by (1) the tendency to inclusive, (2) mobilizing public support through direct contacts to the people, by using (3) strategic issues that engage popular interests, (4) the strengthen of social basis, particularly in developing relation and good connection with political figures and parties, and (5) the tendency of promoting informal rather than formal and political representation. However, the study discovers there are three groups of actor practising populism in three different ways. The first and majority group is the actors who tend to work individually from and within parties or progressive politicians, using the charisma and popular claims, yet they are not part of the mass. The second smaller group consists of actors who are associate themselves as part and work along with mass organisations, e.g. trade unions, and demand for their interests. The third is a minority group of actors who opt for building network with other equal actors and coordinate organizational based activities. The findings enhance the previous study conducted by Demos-UiO in 2007 that recommended the form of democractic political bloc to improve the institution of representation. The characteristics of political capacity identified by this study will help the actors to optimalize their capacity by creating different roles in their efforts to develop the bloc. Aside from that, the actors could optimalize their political capacity by anticipating the louder poblic voices demanding welfare state. Such situation enables the actors to avoid sectoral egoism to foster a common platform for the bloc. It is no doubt that to develop a “welfare political bloc” is a strategic instrument in which the actors can optimalize their political capacity. Keywords: pro-democracy actors, political bloc, democracy, democratization, Indonesia, political capacity, welfare, patronage, transformative politics, populism

Kata Kunci : Politik; Demokrasi