Dialogika

In this episode, just a week after our nation’s 71st birthday, we pay homage to our lesser known but no less important Founding Father, Indonesia’s first vice-president, Mohammad Hatta. We dig into Hatta’s exciting life journey — from his boyhood days in Sumatra, to his revolutionary student activist days in the Netherlands, and finally to the man who, alongside Soekarno, declared the independence of our nation from Dutch colonial rule. We then discussed Hatta’s unique philosophy and love of true democracy, as one in which the people’s voice & votes reign supreme. We also talked about how this perspective impacted his actions and relationships with Indonesia’s first two presidents, the aforementioned Soekarno and his successor Soeharto, as well as the fate of Indonesia as a nation. Finally, we closed with a conversation on what Hatta’s legacy is and how his life and writings can & should continue to inspire and instruct Indonesia’s relatively young 71-year-old democracy. Happy birthday Indonesia!

Thanks for listening!