Islam, Politik und Modernisierung in Indonesien

Abstract Based on the notion, that modernisation — defined as a social process to maximize the adaptive capacity of a social or political system — requires of a religion to develop a reformist or “secular” strain, the article examines the political role of Indonesian Islam and its impact upon modernisation of the Indonesian political system. With the exception of a short period in the second decade of this century, the concept of separation of religion from state affairs — a prerequisite for a secularisation — has been rejected by the majority of Indonesian Muslims. For that reason, the overall impression of Indonesian Islam is of being an antimodernizing force in Indonesian society. However, because of its internal socio-religious diversity, its external political weakness coupled with the paramount military power of the present secular regime, Indonesian Islam is tending to be less doctrinaire and somewhat more willing to adapt itself to modern political conditions.