spread of islam vs hindu buddhism

Indian traders

brought islam to Indonesia peacefully through trades in spices, textiles, and ideas

Local rulers

• Converted to Islam and encouraged their subjects to follow

  • To gain trade benefits and enhance political power

Ulama

1. Ulama

• Islamic scholars who taught Islamic law and theology, preserving and interpreting the teachings of Muhammad

  • Teachers in religious institutions 

  • Advisors to rulers, ensuring governance aligned with Islamic principles

• Role: Ulama is to direct the mindset of people towards the right thinking and guide them to the right path.

1. Sunni

• Sunni: The largest Islamic sect in Indonesia, following orthodox traditions 

  • Believed caliph/successor to to muhammad, should be chosen by leaders of Muslim community 

  • Viewed caliph as a leader, not religious authority 

2, Sufi

• focuses on inner spirituality, mysticism, and peaceful methods of conversion

  • Muslim mystics who communicated with God through meditation, fasting and other rituals 

  • Respected for their piety and miraculous powers (comes from turkey) 

3. Shia/shiites

smaller group with different leadership beliefs
Believed that only descendants of Muhammad could become caliph 

• Believed descendants of Muhammad to be divinely inspired 
  

Trade networks

• systems of interconnected routes and relationships through which goods, services, and cultural exchanges occur between different regions.

• Connected Indonesia to India, Arabia, and beyond; helped ideas and religion spread

Religious conversion

• Process of changing religion, often voluntary through trade, marriage, or teaching

  • Widespread in Indonesian kingdoms (Islam, Hindu)

Syncretism

• The blending of Islamic beliefs with local traditions (e.g., rituals, festivals)

Wali Songo

• 9 Sufi saints who used wayang, music, and local culture to spread Islam, integrating islamic teachings with existing local traditions.

• Because of their diverse ethnic backgrounds, they were able to adapt to Indonesian culture and peacefully spread Islamic teachings and values through cultural integration already present in Indonesia like Wayang

  • attentive to the social, cultural and economic aspects of society (did not only focus on building the theological parts of religion

Soekarno

• Often referred to as ‘dalang’ or puppet master because he orchestrates a lot of things

• Combined Indonesian mysticism + myths with political agenda

• NASAKOM (Nasionalisme, agama, komunisme)

  • attempt to juggle the 3 major forces in Indonesia

  • Imploded in the 1965 revolution

  • prioritized unity of Indonesia

  • Western powers did not like Soekarno’s acceptance of communism (may have led to “CIA” ‘orchestrating G30S’)

Soeharto

• Sukarno signed the Supersemar decree (March 11 1966), authorizing Suharto to take all measures necessary to make things stable → beginning of the New Order.

• Goal: create order, stability, and reduce the mass participation of citizens in the political process. 

  • Revived the parliament of 1955 and PKI was banned. Pro-sukarno elements purged

  • Anti-communist movement. Marxism/Leninism banned → supported capitalism

  • Joined UN and ASEAN

  • Ended fight with Malaysia

  • Befriended the west and japan

  • ⁠held national elections 1971

Allowed corruption ($15 billion+ during his authority)

Pancasila

1. Pancasila

• Announced by Sukarno + declared Independence in 1945 before the Dutch’s return. 

1.  Belief in the one and only God (a secular state, not a theocratic Islamic state

2. Just and Civilized Humanity

3. The Unity of Indonesia

4. Democracy led by the wisdom of the representation of the people (all significant groups represented)

5. Social Justice for all Indonesian People (a Marxist, socialist view)

• Monotheism, National Unity, Democracy, Social Justice, Humanity

• revived by the Suharto government (possibly to prevent the growth of opposition by Muslim leaders). 

Those who were believed to oppose the five principle could be branded a Communist or an Islamic extremist and jailed

1945 proclamation

• signed by soekarno and hatta, issued by the house of admiral tadashi

• start of the diplomatic and armed resistance of the Indonesian national revolution. 

• Causes for Independence

  • Sukarno + Hatta = collaborated with Japanese (Putera - Puppet Government under Japanese -> Trained Indonesian soldiers)

  • Sudden surrender of the Japanese after atomic bomb -> British forces assigned to occupy Indonesia not prepared (power vacuum -> Sukarno established control)

• Coping with independence

  • difficult to create and operate a viable government

    • Elections only yielded pluralities and weak, short-lived coalition governments (national parties received around 16-22% of the votes)

    • The economy was in decline and inflation rampant. The country was bankrupt.

    • Fear of nationalization of assets (communism) prevented significant foreign investment

    •  a lot of international parties were hesitant to invest in Indonesia, as they thought Indonesia was going to be a Communist country (largest party - PKI)

Suharto spurred rapid economic growth and turned Indonesia into a democracy. Citizens were enjoying prosperity by the late 1980s under his dictatorship.

New Order: definition

• 32-year-long administration of Suharto

  • March 11, 1966 - Supersemar decree - take all measures necessary to make things stable

• wanted to implement democracy in the economy.

  • to achieve a social, political, economic and cultural society with Pancasila and Belief in God Almighty as our moral values."

New order (positive)

• Economic growth and stability: achieved steady growth with foreign investment and improved infrastructure

• Reduction in poverty: poverty rates dropped significantly with rural programs in health and education

• Political stability: centralized power under the New Order led to a stable political environment

Modernization of society: expansion in education and literacy, more Indonesians connected to global economy

New Order (negatjve)

• Authoritarian rule: dissent suppressed, opposition controlled, censorship widespread

• Human rights violations: mass killings post-1965 (PKI and anti-communist actions), crackdowns (restrictions) on suspected dissidents

• Corruption and nepotism: family wealth amassed, widespread bribery and economic inequality

Controversies: 

• Foreign influence and dependency 

• Cultural and religious policies: mandatory Pancasila ideology, suppression of separatist movements

Problems: 

• Legitimized “Dual Function” of the army 

Guided Democracy

• A policy created in the Sukarno era in 1957 to "save" the country.

• a formally democratic government that functions as an autocratic government

  • Aiming to create unity and stability by reducing the influence of political parties

  • Rooted in Pancasila, which emphasized harmony and social justice, but also limited opposition to maintain control

  • Promoting decisions based on consensus rather than majority rule

Asian financial crisis and fall of soharto

• led to Asian and Indonesian currency losing 70% of its value

  • currencies devalued leading to stock market crashes - Starvation and poverty were rampant in Indonesia

• People began to riot in the streets and the New Order collapsed against the Chinese - May 1998 (Anti-Chinese riot)

• Sparked by the killing of six student demonstrators, Jakarta was seized by demonstrations and riots

• After running unopposed for the 7th time, The army took over Jakarta and Suharto resigned after 32 years as president and $15-35 billion in graft

Guided Democracy

• A policy created in the Sukarno era in 1957 to "save" the country.

• a formally democratic government that functions as an autocratic government

  • Aiming to create unity and stability by reducing the influence of political parties

  • Rooted in Pancasila, which emphasized harmony and social justice, but also limited opposition to maintain control

  • Promoting decisions based on consensus rather than majority rule