Ahmad Robi Ul'zikri, Bismar Harris Satriawan

Navigating Political Beliefs at the Grassroots: A Study of Civil Servants' Perceptions on Democracy and Radicalism in Murung Raya

Introduction

Navigating political beliefs at the grassroots: a study of civil servants' perceptions on democracy and radicalism in murung raya. Explore Murung Raya civil servants' political beliefs: democracy, presidentialism, and radicalism. Reveals strong support for Indonesia's system & Pancasila, rejecting radicalism.

Abstract

This study investigates the political beliefs of civil servants in Murung Raya Regency, focusing on their perceptions of democracy, presidentialism, and radical ideological discourse. Grounded in Norris and Inglehart’s Cultural Backlash Theory (2019), the research explores how local bureaucrats respond to ideological shifts and sociopolitical tensions in contemporary Indonesia. Employing a quantitative design, the study surveyed 64 government employees through a structured questionnaire administered after a civic education session. The findings indicate that 82.8% of respondents support the presidential system and the separation of powers, while 79.7% agree that Indonesia’s democratic system, despite its flaws, should be preserved. Notably, 96.9% reject radical ideologies such as the caliphate, affirming the resilience of Pancasila as the state ideology. Moreover, 89.1% prefer presidential governance, and 42.2% favor military-background leaders for national leadership, suggesting a cultural orientation toward political stability. These results confirm the relevance of Cultural Backlash Theory in explaining grassroots political attitudes shaped by modernization anxieties and ideological contestation. This study contributes to the discourse on democratic resilience, offering empirical insights into the beliefs of civil servants who act as frontline agents of the state in safeguarding democratic values at the local level.

Review

This study presents a timely and highly relevant investigation into the political beliefs of civil servants in Murung Raya Regency, offering valuable insights into their perceptions of democracy, presidentialism, and radicalism within the contemporary Indonesian context. The research is appropriately anchored in Norris and Inglehart’s Cultural Backlash Theory (2019), providing a robust theoretical framework for understanding how local bureaucrats navigate ideological shifts and sociopolitical tensions. By focusing on civil servants, the study addresses a critical gap, as these individuals serve as crucial frontline agents of the state, directly influencing the safeguarding of democratic values at the local level. The quantitative design, employing a structured questionnaire, is a suitable approach for systematically capturing these perceptions. The findings are compelling and offer significant contributions to the discourse on democratic resilience. The overwhelming support for the presidential system (82.8%), the preservation of Indonesia’s democratic system (79.7%), and the near-unanimous rejection of radical ideologies like the caliphate (96.9%) strongly affirm the resilience of Pancasila as the state ideology. These results robustly confirm the relevance of Cultural Backlash Theory, illustrating how grassroots political attitudes are shaped by modernization anxieties and ideological contestation. The preference for presidential governance (89.1%) and, notably, the significant favorability towards military-background leaders (42.2%) further underscore a cultural orientation toward political stability, which is a key insight of the study. While the quantitative design is appropriate for capturing these perceptions, further detail on the potential influence of administering the questionnaire "after a civic education session" could strengthen the methodological transparency, as such timing might subtly prime respondents. Overall, this study makes an important empirical contribution by providing concrete data on the political sentiments of a critical demographic in a specific Indonesian region. It not only deepens our understanding of democratic resilience at the sub-national level but also highlights the complex interplay between cultural values, modernization, and political preferences. The findings have broader implications for policymakers and scholars concerned with democratic consolidation and the prevention of radicalism in diverse political landscapes. The research sets a strong foundation for future inquiries, perhaps incorporating qualitative elements to further unpack the nuances behind the observed preferences and anxieties.

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