The Disputes between Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo and Soetatmo Soeriokoesoemo: Satria vs. Pandita

Abstract

In 1918 major debates took place between Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo, a leading proponent of Indies nationalism, and Soetatmo Soeriokoesoemo, a leader of the Committee for Javanese Nationalism (Comite voor het Javaansche Nationalisme), first over the question of Indies versus Javanese nationalism, and then over the problem of Javanese cultural development. The language of the debates was Dutch, not Javanese or Malay (Indonesian), and 1918, when they occurred, was the year the Volksraad (People's Council) was founded. It was apparently with the Council's opening in mind that Tjipto and Soetatmo engaged in these debates and the audience to which both of them were appealing was the group in the Budi Utomo which was most enthusiastic about the opening of the Volksraad. In an atmosphere where this event was viewed as marking the dawn of a new epoch, a question keenly felt among followers of Budi Utomo was the political and cultural relevance of Javanese tradition to progress. Tjipto and Soetatmo addressed this question in their disputes and vied for ideological hegemony among those Dutcheducated lower-priyayi who made up the group in Budi Utomo that supported the Volksraad. The first debate was in fact published in March 1918, just after Tjipto's nomination as a member of the Volksraad and two months before its formal opening. The second debate took place at the Congress for Javanese Cultural Development, which was held in Solo in July 1918, in conjunction with the annual meetings of the Budi Utomo, PHGB (Perserikatan Guru Hindia Belanda), and Oud-