Pancasila: The Indonesian concept of the ‘5 Principles’

Indonesia is an extrememly difficuly countries to run. With 17,000 islands, 180 ethnic groups, and regional and local tensions things often boil over. The way locals solve problems out here is by bringing a mob.

A couple of mechanisms that have helped bind Indonesians, are the national language, Bahasa Indonesia, and Pancasila, the concept of the 5 principles. In modern times Pancasila has become the basis of civilized rule in Indonesia. It is the state ideology, and a vital part of national unity.

The 5 concepts of Pancasila are:
1. Belief in 1 Supreme God.
2. A just and civilized humanity.
3. Nationalism, the unity of Indonesia.
4. Democracy, guided by wisdom of unanimity arising from discussion (musjawarah) and mutual assisistance (gotong royong)
5. Social justice, the equality of political rights and the rights of citizenship, as well as social and cultural equality.

Of course these principle have been used by politicains as leverage to get their own way. But in principle they are an attempt at creating a better country. You can see a copy of Pancasila in every government building.

On the Indonesian coat of arms, which is an eagle with a shield, are words in Sanskrit, ‘Bhineka tunggal ika’, meaning ‘We are many, but we are one.’