Is PSI (Partai Solidaritas Indonesia) an alternative for the Indonesian youth?

Thanks for A2A Irfan Kurnia . I’m going to tackle this from historical perspective.

Looking from their approach… I can tell what they are doing is very similar to what the old PSI (Partai Sosialis Indonesia / Indonesian Socialist Party) was doing back in the Parliamentary era (1950–1959).

Back in the days, PSI tried to tap the potential of intellectuals. Which mostly at that time were young upper-middle Indonesians with prior education abroad or young people who participated in the Indonesian National Revolution and seeks further education/activism after. It worked quite well for them. Although their share of votes in the 1955 election was minimum, (2% votes for 5 seats in the DPR) a lot of PSI activists were well-known achievers. From STA / Sutan Tadir Alisjahbana and Mochtar Lubis in literature and press, Soemitro Djojohadikusumo in economics and Soedjatmoko in diplomacy. Not mentioning their leader Sutan Sjahrir. More astonishing was that in those years these people were mostly in their 30s or 40s!

Now some real present-time analysis -

That approach. No matter how idealistic or noble-intended is going nowhere with this kind of political climate. PSI was able to succeed because it was in a revolutionary political climate. The structures of power is just being written, and they were fortunate to have a leader already in the inner power circle. Sutan Sjahrir was good friends with Bung Hatta and Agus Salim, hence his appointment as our Republic’s first Prime Minister.

2017? You are forever dreaming to make that kind of approach work! If they want to gain power in these days they need to compromise, lure at least one established old public figure to their side - In this matter I agree very much with Pandu Saryadi (note to Pandu… Yes I’m a Millenial but I do understand what you mean ;) . And last but not least propel a rising young local figure to a succesful campaign for Mayor/Bupati position, or make political contracts to gain Minister seat, just like tha path of Jokowi, Ridwan Kamil et al.

So at the end, I would not vote for them until they are willing to see bigger picture and compromise for the sake of bigger reach.

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