Nation Building as Part of Living Out the Pancasila

IL News 003/2017

We need to consider two aspects in developing our thoughts to live out the five principles of Pancasila in our nation building. First, we need to consider what Bung Hatta said, “Pancasila is the five principles, not monism”. None of the principles will outweigh the others. Second, Nation Building as part of living out all the five principles of the Pancasila, harmoniously and as one integrated unit. How can we meet these two aspects? To do this, we can look at these five principles as the angles of a pentagon.

In this pentagon, none of the principles stand on the other principles. It means, in living out each of the principles will depend on how we live out the other four principles. We need to live out these five principles together as one integrated unit. Although each principle stands on its own (or independent), living out of each principles has to be in harmony with the other principles.

Each principle is independent yet they are also interdependent with the other four principles.