Evolution of Indonesian Political Systems (1945–Present)
📌 Indonesia has transitioned through various political systems since 1945, starting with an emergency semi-authoritarian Presidential System (1945–1949) during instability and the struggle against the Dutch.
🏛️ The Parliamentary Democracy (1950–1959) era, established after Indonesia became a Unitary State, saw the Prime Minister lead the cabinet responsible to the Parliament (DPR), with the President holding symbolic power.
⭐ The system shifted to Guided Democracy (Demokrasi Terpimpin) under President Soekarno post-1959, characterized by dominant presidential power, suppression of political opposition, and the "Nasakom" political alignment (Nationalist, Religious, Communist).

The New Order and Reform Era
🎖️ New Order (Orde Baru) under President Soeharto (1968–1998) was based on Pancasila Democracy but became increasingly authoritarian, marked by monoloyalty (PNS/TNI supporting Golkar) and significant Human Rights violations.
💥 The New Order collapsed due to widespread Corruption, Collusion, and Nepotism (KKN), coupled with the severe 1997 Asian Economic Crisis, leading to massive student protests demanding Reformasi.
⚖️ The Reform Era (Demokrasi Pancasila Reformasi) began in 1998 with President B.J. Habibie, focusing on implementing reforms such as abolishing the Dual Function of ABRI, amending the 1945 Constitution, and establishing independent corruption eradication bodies like the KPK.

Key Diplomatic Milestones (1946–1949)
🤝 The Linggarjati Agreement (1946) nominally recognized Indonesian territory (Sumatra, Java, Madura) de facto, but the Dutch violated it leading to Military Aggression I.
📉 The Renville Agreement (1948) further disadvantaged Indonesia, requiring the Indonesian military to withdraw from Dutch-controlled areas, intensifying public disappointment.
🌍 The Round Table Conference (KMB) in 1949 resulted in the Netherlands officially recognizing Indonesian sovereignty, leading to the brief existence of the Republic of the United States of Indonesia (RIS), a federal state.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ The transition from the 1945 Presidential System to the 1950 Parliamentary System was rapid, shifting executive responsibility to the Prime Minister accountable to the legislature.
➡️ The failure of the Parliamentary System was largely attributed to frequent cabinet changes and the inability of the Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution, leading to Soekarno's 1959 decree reinstating the 1945 Constitution.
➡️ The long tenure and absolute power under the New Order demonstrated the danger of unchecked authority, emphasizing Lord Acton's principle that "Absolute power corrupts absolutely."
➡️ The Reform Era has successfully institutionalized direct presidential elections (since 2004) and established checks and balances, symbolizing Indonesia's continuous adaptation toward a more inclusive democracy.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Nov 26, 2025, 14:33 UTC