Confucianism and political participation :: A Study of Confucians's participation in political parties in legislative election 2004 in Eastern Depok West Java

Tesis ini menggambarkan masyarakat Khonghucu yang meyakini dan mempraktekkan Agamanya, dan partisipasi mereka dalam partai politik pada pemilihan legislatif tahun 2004. Tesis ini menganalisa hubungan antara komitmen keagamaan orang – orang Khonghucu dengan perilaku politik. Daerah penelitiannya di Depok bagian timur, Jawa Barat, yang terdiri dari dua kecamatan yaitu kecamatan Cimanggis dan Sukmajaya. Daerah ini memberikan banyak imformasi tentang Agama Khonghucu dan Partisipasi Politik. Di daerah ini mereka sebagai masyarakat minoritas bisa terlibat dalam beberapa partai politik dengan berbagai bentuk seperti pengurus partai dan calon legislatif pada pemilihan legislatif tahun 2004. Subyek yang diteliti adalah 10 orang, terdiri dari pemimpin keagamaan, pengurus partai politik tingkat kecamatan dan calon legislative. Selain itu mereka yang terlibat dalam kampanye, diskusi politik secara tidak formal dan yang melakukan pemungutan suara pada pemilihan legislatif tahun 2004. Pengumpulan dan analisa data berdasarkan wawancara yang mendalam, parisipasi observasi dan tinggal selama 20 hari (Januari, Pebruari, Maret dan April tahun 2004). Selain itu tesis ini menggunakan pendekatan alami, maksudnya data dikumpulkan dan diuraikan secara obyektif, juga dikembangkan dengan teori perbandingan. Tesis ini menggunakan penjelasan fungsional yang berdasarkan fakta sosial untuk menjelaskan Agama Khonghucu memberikan motivasi kepada penganutnya, berdasarkan peanafsiran yang berasal dari data hasil observasi dan wawancara. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Agama Khonghucu telah berintegrasi dengan partisipasi politik. Peranan Agama Khonghucu sebagai motivasi atau semangat berpartisipasi politik menunjukkan dua tipe partisipasi. Di satu sisi mereka mempertahankan dan menyebarkan konsep masyarakat harmoni. Di sisi lain, mereka memperjuangkan kepentingaan khusus. Mereka percaya bahwa terlibat dengan partai politik misalnya menjadi pengurus partai atau calon legislative, kampanye, diskusi informal tentang politik dan memberikan hak suara merupakan proses menjadi manusia ideal (chun tzu/junzi) yang menjadi tujuan dari Agama Khonghucu. Salah satu tujuan partisipasi politiknya adalah mencapai pengakuan Agama Khonghucu sebagai agama formal. This thesis describes belief and practice of Confucianism, and Confucians’s participation in political parties in the 2004 legislative election. It analyzes the relationship between the religious commitment of Confucians and political behavior. Confucians have participated in political parties in different forms as officials of political parties in the sub-district or kecamatan level and legislative candidates of Depok. They also participate in mass campaign, informal discussions of politics and vote in legislative election 2004. The understanding and practice of Confucianism has motivated Confucians to participate in political parties. On one side they view that the relationship between Confucianism and political participation is integrated, because Confucianism emphasizes the importance of moral perfection chun tzu/junzi (Confucian ideal) and social adjustment (wu lun) in the life of society. On the other side they also have the goal of political participation that is to achieve recognition as a formal religion. They struggle to achieve the Confucian ideal and to keep the relation of harmony between the ruler (government or the authority) and the subject (people). Therefore, they use political parties as medium of aspiration. The region of research is in Eastern Depok (West Java), consisting of two sub districts, Cimanggis and Sukmajaya, where much information can be found about Confucianism and political participation. Confucians as a minority community can participate in political parties in the location. They participate in political parties with different forms as official and legislative candidates in the 2004 legislative election. The subjects surveyed contain 10 people; they are religious leaders, an official of political party in sub-district or Kecamatan level and legislative candidate, and participants in mass campaign, informal discussions of politics and votes in the 2004 legislative election. The collected data and analysis is based on in-depth interviews, observation participation and living in the Confucian community for 20 days (January, February, March and April 2004). Moreover, this thesis uses a naturalistic approach. This means data was objectively collected and explored, and comparative theories were developed. To explain Confucianism as motivation, this research uses a functional explanation of social facts; this means the data of observation and results of interviews was interpreted. The result indicates that Confucianism has become integrated with political participation. The role of Confucianism is the motivation or spirit of political participation. Confucians participation shows two typologies. On one side, they defend and broad a concept of harmonious community. On other side they struggle for particular interest. They believe that to join in political parties as officials of political parties, and become as legislative candidates, join in mass campaign, do informal discussion of politics and voting are the chun tzu/junzi (human ideal) process. One of the goals of political participations is to achieve recognition as formal religion.