Literature and Politics

In the discourse of Indonesian literature history, the relationship between literature and politics is pressing issue, a situation that cannot be easily to overcome. A long time ago, during the Dutch colonial government, there was a rule that literature should not discuss ideology, religion, and politics. This colonial policy lasts and never changes even though Indonesia was already get its independence. Thats why Indonesian literary society and writers have a strong believe that literature must not be involved in politics and it must not have any moral and political goals. Literature cannot be related to real-life directly because literature is only a fictional work. The historical aspects outside literature are considered as a background or a foreground that cannot destroy the authentic characteristics of the literary works as imaginary fictional works. Literary works tend to be only considered as entertainment tools that narrate an alternative world, which is totally different from the world where we are living. This book will be the first in discussing the relationship between literature and politics. Students and experts of various sciences who would like to understand the episteme of the New Order can get benefits from this book. This book gives us a reflection that the development is for human beings, not the human beings are for the development. The humanistic development dimension must be a must. Literary works still exist continuously to guard the Indonesians' struggles in defending their human dignity.