The First Steps Towards National Revival

IVI Weekly Assignment: Meeting 5

By: Jonathan David 18/422958/EK/21636

The first 30 years of the 20th century was a revolutionary time for Indonesia; there were
new ideas regarding the formation of organizations and more advanced definitions of identity.
Vast changes were happening in the Dutch-colonized parts of Indonesia, specifically in Java and
Minangkabau. Both of these areas were experiencing rapid growth and transformations, leading
the way for other areas of Indonesia. However, some areas like Bali and Aceh were still trying to
fight for the older order to be upheld, differing from Java and Minangkabau where they were
already establishing a new order. This new order or new forms of leadership included new
understandings regarding religion, politics, society, etc. This period in itself is called the
“Indonesian National Awakening”, due to the relative trend in which the residents identify
themselves as being Indonesian.

With time, comes new understanding about organization’s and its structure. The first
organization to pioneer the organizational culture in Indonesia was Budi Utomo, which was
founded on May of 1908 by Dr Soetomo, Goenawan Mangoenkoesoemo, and Soeradji, inspired

by Dr Wahidin Soedirohoesodo. The organization itself became an integrated part of the lesser
priyayi at that time, which was the upwardly mobile Javanese officials who saw education as the
key to advancement at that era. The organization was also approved by the Dutch, since it
focused mainly on education and the sociocultural environment.

Many other organizations came to be in Indonesia; however, it mostly came to an end on

December 1925. In this period, the leaders of Indonesia’s communist group named PKI rebelled
and caused an uproar. About 13000 people were arrested and shot, while 4500 were imprisoned
and over 1000 of them were sent to prison or labor camps in Irian; this would mark the end of
PKI. Until the Second World War, the Indonesian society did not engaged in any political or
organizational activity; hence making the fall of PKI the end of the first stage of national revival
in Indonesia.