The High Probability of Revolution
There is no need to elaborate on the political, economic and social issues that might lead to revolution in Indonesia, as we have already explained them several times above. It is enough to draw the following conclusions.
Since the notion that the Dutch imperialists will suddenly become intelligent, ingenious and able to make compromises to the detriment of the big capitalists can be regarded as a fantasy in "The Story of a Thousand and One Nights", the revolutionary development will not be stifled. On the contrary, it is progressing faster and faster and an outbreak of revolution can be expected at any time.
Moreover, some of these revolutions have already been proven. The several rebellions that broke out on their own in Java and Sumatra during the 300 years of the "blessed" Dutch imperialism were the result of a clash of classes and nationalities that had originally taken the form of religious rebellions. Also the political turmoil of the past 15 years, in the form of various incitements and actions and more clearly in the form of anarchist plots and actions in Java and the murder of Pamong Praja officials in West Sumatra which undermined the confidence in the invulnerability of Dutch imperialism, are all classified as the result of class and nationality conflicts.
However, a major clash between classes and nationalities of such a magnitude, breaking out solely because of the clash itself and of such a modern nature as a "revolution", has not yet occurred in Indonesia!
Eventually it will engulf the entire archipelago and erupt on its own.
The Emerging Nature of the Indonesian Revolution
What will the revolution look like? What characteristics will it exhibit if it erupts tomorrow or the day after? This is what we, as revolutionaries, must ask ourselves and answer at once, if we are to avoid the "wandering" politics of Douwes Dekker and Tjokroaminoto. According to the answer to that question, we forge the tools of revolution, namely our organisational programme and tactics.
The proper characterisation of Indonesian society is the most important prerequisite for obtaining the tools of revolution. It is also the first step towards the victory of our revolution.
If the analysis is imperfect or we are wrong with our predictions and conclusions, the victory will be uncertain or short-lived. We don't have horoscopes that can foresee future events the way an astrologer predicts a person's future life. However, with Marx and Lenin as guideposts, we can determine some of the outlines of the revolution in Indonesia (given the current level of capitalist development).
Certainly the revolution will be different from the "Moroccan Rebellion"[10]. This is particularly true because Indonesia has a higher level of productive power (industry, agriculture, transport and a large financial base) than the small peasant and sheep-herding country of Morocco. Also Indonesia, especially Java, does not have inhabitable mountains and vast deserts where revolutionaries can hide for years and then at any time resume guerrilla warfare.
Furthermore, it will not be a genuine proletarian revolution like in Germany, Britain and America (where the population is mainly made up of proletarian workers) because Indonesian capital is still too young, infertile and weak. Therefore, our workers, when compared to the workers of the West, are far behind, both in quantity and quality. In addition, the conditions of the non-workers who will also participate in the revolution are still within the epoch of the bourgeoisie revolution and the national revolution.
Our revolution will also not be like the bourgeois revolution in France in 1789 because our bourgeoisie is still too weak and feudalism has been largely wiped out by Dutch imperialism. Nor will it equal the French Revolution of 1870 because we seem to have a more developed production forces, in addition to an excessive social contradictions.
It will also be different from the Russian Revolution whose feudalism can be said to be weak and whose young bourgeoisie has been greatly weakened by years of war, while the workers are young, happy and educated according to Lenin's principles. We must fight against Western imperialism even though it is small, it must not be ignored because it has tricks and likes to be the "servant" of mighty British imperialism.
In the end, it will not be a purely political revolution like the ones in India, Egypt and the Philippines, where the native bourgeoisie only seized political power (parliamentary power) because the national capitalists are strong and the intellectuals are more numerous than in Indonesia.
The Indonesian Revolution will be partly against the remnants of feudalism and partly against despotic Western imperialism. It is fuelled by the hatred of the Eastern nations for the Westerners who oppressed and desecrated them.
The heart of the revolution (at least in Java) must be formed by the workers of modern industry, enterprise and agriculture (factory and farm workers). The political bastions, especially the economy of Dutch imperialism, can only be beaten by the workers. Surrounding the workers are the petty bourgeoisie, who will go backwards and forwards (The bourgeoisie will obey if they know they will win; even then, they will go backwards. Even if they really like to participate. Anything more than that is a "no" and should not be expected).
A victorious Indonesian Revolution will bring about the right economic, political and social changes at a time when capitalistic development is facing a crisis. If our workers remain active, they can play the most important role.