A-Infos (en) Idonesia, anarkis.org: You Do not Hate Politics, You Hate the State - BIMA SATRIA PUTRA [machine translation]

K ita witnessed that date, the white group (abstentions)[1]will continue to increase as 
public distrust in politicians. Many people throw regret and looked at the past when 
people were more community oriented[2]and a matter of public affairs. The decline of 
community orientation and awareness of public affairs be the topic of grief commentators 
from across the political spectrum. Liberals blame the unlimited power of corporations 
over this slump. While American conservatives blame the centralized state, suggested to 
decentralize the federal level. ---- But if we go back to the past, in ancient Greece, for 
example, all adult males were directly involved in decisions relating to their community 
face to face ( face to face ). They do not have to become activists and politicians to 
make changes. They can still be a trader and occasionally come to a meeting of citizens to 
take a decision. For example, if Greece should send an army against the Persian invasion 
or not. This is the demos (people) and kratos (power) is actually, where everyone can get 
involved directly in decision-making. Indeed, the model of democracy in Greece is not 
perfect and could be better. Because the ancient Greek democracy does not accommodate the 
voices of women, immigrants or slaves.

I do not need to take the example that is much like the ancient Greeks, because there are 
some of you who are anti-westernized. In this archipelago, when the kingdom there and 
making decisions that may affect many people there are in the hands of a few elite palace, 
the spirit of democracy would appear on a local scale. The villages are far from the 
center of the kingdom implement consensus culture that emphasizes the principle of 
consensus ( consensus ), the decision is taken until it completely agree. Lots of things 
to do for the community orientation and done with collective culture, we call mutual aid.

Aristotle, in the first book of the series Politica said that humans by nature are names 
for the human species : creatures that live in the polis (city). Polis , in ancient Greece 
was a city, and activities to take care of the policy is politics. All men should take 
care and community-oriented life together through politics. Politics is not the place to 
seize power as we see in countries today. But the politics of trying to be destroyed 
through a long and arduous efforts and remaining still continue to be destroyed again. In 
Europe, the political citizen was taken over by the kingdom, to seize church. When 
politics by churches destroyed, the state took over and still trying to paralyze public 
participation. The state also ruled distant places to come under control, removing any 
autonomy that until today they enjoy.

State ( states ) in fact, structurally and professionally, apart from the general public. 
He is stood on ordinary people, men and women. He runs the rule over the people and make 
decisions that affect their lives. With its professional, manipulative and immoral, elite 
and mass system under the guise of democracy, insulting the democratic ideal that often 
they promised to call periodically to the 'electorate'. Far from empowering the people as 
citizens, the state requires that the decommissioning of the general power of citizens. 
Everything was done by mutual cooperation and then taken over by the state. This system 
downgrades citizens into mere 'taxpayers', 'voters' and 'constituents'. As if they are too 
young and stupid to manage public affairs. Residents are expected to work solely passively 
and allow the elite to find the best path for them, with work using the money given to the 
people through taxes. Behind such circumstances there must be logic and moral values that 
force. It is a moral value that the mass of the public are considered too stupid to 
understand anything.

On the other hand, the current community orientation toward individualism is getting 
destroyed in the vortex of capitalistic culture. Realizing he had no public role anymore 
because of all the public affairs taken care of the state, the individuals in the country 
then still have to deal with life. Economic pressures force them to spend more of their 
time in order to earn a living. Make them short of time to devote himself or socialize in 
family life, especially in community affairs. Humans, in turn rooted nature as a political 
creature, when too concerned with personal affairs among others.

Not only that, the state also mastered every inch of land of livelihood. Indigenous 
peoples, which are de facto been occupying their ancestral land since the days of the 
ancestors, deprived of their rights and marginalized. All of the land is considered 
property of the state that emerged later, so that if the country wants to build 
infrastructure in the public interest-that whereas in the interests of a particular 
class-those with the heart to get rid of the people who live on it, damaging agricultural 
lands productive and damaging biodiversity[3],

Those who are aware of it, then try to be politically active. Attempt to engage in public 
affairs and register themselves as candidates in the general election. At first, each 
candidate is not a 'bad guy', because most of them initially entered the field of public 
service with idealistic motivations. However, the demands of a particular group and the 
system pressure, they tried to deny the people. They became like that because they have 
become part of the system of interaction of power that his orders had power over them.

Knowing that the system will kill idealism, some people choose to become the opposition 
and refused entry into the system. They were critical of the measures taken and heroically 
campaigned for a change. However, the desired change never materialized, because of the 
state they hope to change the fact does not listen to them. Finally they gave up and hope 
they are replaced by pessimism and apathy mass will be. Even if true, that change is 
something that is very difficult. Rather than bother to make a change, better hand it over 
to the state.

The only thing you merely political participation in elections, and only then if you 
choose. First of all, you see a variety of political advertising candidates, complete with 
political jargon and narcissistic self picture. Then you are asked to go to the polls on 
election day, and in the stall, you see a large sheet of paper with rows of images they 
see, and you are forced to choose! When elected, they were awarded the position and work 
on the basis of the mandate of the people. Tadaa! You are considered active in politics! 
And many people were clapping because democracy has been executed.

Coming home from the polling place, you are back in work and public affairs entrusted to 
the people you choose. This is democracy? No, this aristocratic form of government where 
power is in the hands of a small group, the privileged or the ruling class. The decision 
is in the hands of the representatives, representation constituencies. The decisions they 
make the voice of the people, because they were elected by the people! Because they have 
the coercive power of the state (force), the decisions they make can be applied when it is 
also in everyone. And they are not ashamed to call 'democracy'. In fact, every decision 
they make almost always side with the people and not by the popular vote.

We must realize that the only way to improve public participation is the monopoly of power 
and hand it over to the people. If the turmoil continues, the more apolitical and in the 
end, let the representatives sitting in the air-conditioned room to take care of our lives 
for the sake of capitalists and their group. And unfortunately, many political blame for 
this mess and do not want to be involved in these affairs. In fact, pinning the label 
'political system is therefore rough mistake. According to Bookchin, a libertarian 
socialist, this system should be more aptly named state ( statecraft ). Politics and state 
should be strictly separated, because there are many other political form, in addition to 
the state, empire, and theocracy highly monopolistic.

And if I am right, you actually hate the country, not politics. Unless you really do not 
care any more business together, then you hate politics.

endnotes

[1]In Indonesia, Abstentions is a political movement for those who choose not to vote in 
elections. In the New Order era, the movement campaigned by Arief Budiman.

[2]Community I do not mean like the community understood in Indonesia as an association or 
a set that have the same activity or hobby, but rather a collection of people who are in 
the same geographic location. Communities I mean almost the same as "citizens".

[3]In Indonesia, the country's sovereignty over the land can be seen on Law No.2 / 2012 on 
Land Procurement for Development in the Public Interest.

Reference

Biehl, Janet. 2016. Politics of Social Ecology Munisipalisme Libertarian. Yogyakarta. 
Leaves hours.

Chomsky, Noam. 2009. Political Power of Media. Yogyakarta. Pine.

Bertens, Kees. 1999. History of Greek Philosophy. Yogyakarta. Canisius.

http://anarkis.org/anda-tidak-benci-politik-anda-benci-negara/
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