Communist Party of Indonesia

Quick Facts: Who was Communist Party of Indonesia?

Subject:

Communist Party of Indonesia

Known for:

A Marxist-Leninist party in the Dutch East Indies, pivotal to Indonesian political history.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Communist Party of Indonesia (Indonesian: Partai Komunis Indonesia, Indonesian pronunciation: ['partaɪ koˈmunɪs indo'nesija], PKI, [ˈpekai̯]) was a Marxist-Leninist and Maoist communist party in the Dutch East Indies and later Indonesia. It was founded in 1914 as the Indies Social Democratic Association, became the Communist Union of the Indies in 1920, and adopted the name PKI in 1924. The Dutch colonial government banned the party after failed uprisings in 1926 and 1927, but it re-emerged during the Indonesian National Revolution after the Japanese surrender in 1945. Under D. N. Aidit, the PKI grew rapidly during the 1950s. It finished fourth in the 1955 Indonesian legislative election, receiving 16.35% of the vote and winning 39 out of 257 seats.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

By the mid-1960s, it had about three million members and was supported by large labour, peasant, youth, women's, and cultural organizations. The party supported President Sukarno's system of Guided Democracy and became the communist element in his Nasakom political formula. At its height, it was one of the largest communist parties outside China and the Soviet Union. After the 30 September Movement in 1965, in which six senior army generals were killed, the army accused the PKI of organizing an attempted coup. Some PKI leaders, including its leader D.N. Aidit and sympathizers were involved in the movement, but the extent of the party's responsibility remains disputed.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Under General Suharto, the army and allied groups carried out a nationwide anti-communist purge in which at least 500,000 people are estimated to have been killed, including PKI members, alleged sympathizers, and others. The party's leadership and organization were destroyed, and the PKI was banned in 1966. The Indies Social Democratic Association (Dutch: Indische Sociaal-Democratische Vereeniging, ISDV) was founded in 1914 by Dutch socialist Henk Sneevliet and fellow Indies socialist. The 85-member ISDV was a merger of the two Dutch socialist parties (the SDAP and the Socialist Party of the Netherlands), which would become the Communist Party of the Netherlands under Dutch East Indies leadership. The Dutch members of the ISDV introduced communist ideas to educated Indonesians looking for ways to oppose colonial rule.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1914: 1914 Milestone — It was founded in 1914 as the Indies Social Democratic Association, became the Communist Union of the Indies in 1920, and adopted the name PKI in 1924.
2. 1926: 1926 Milestone — The Dutch colonial government banned the party after failed uprisings in 1926 and 1927, but it re-emerged during the Indonesian National Revolution after the Japanese surrender in 1945.
3. 1955: 1955 Milestone — It finished fourth in the 1955 Indonesian legislative election, receiving 16.
4. 1965: 1965 Milestone — After the 30 September Movement in 1965, in which six senior army generals were killed, the army accused the PKI of organizing an attempted coup.
5. 1966: 1966 Milestone — The party's leadership and organization were destroyed, and the PKI was banned in 1966.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Communist Party of Indonesia

True or False: “The Communist Party of Indonesia was officially banned by the Dutch colonial government immediately after its formation in 1914.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The party faced bans later, specifically following failed uprisings in 1926 and 1927, not upon its initial founding.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdul-Karim Qasim — Historical peer (Born in 1914) (1914): Iraqi military officer who led the country as Prime Minister from 1958 to 1963.
• Adolph Green — Historical peer (Born in 1914) (1914): American lyricist and playwright known for his long-running, witty partnership with Betty Comden.
• Abraham Kuyper — Historical peer (Died in 1920) (1920): Influential neo-Calvinist pastor, journalist, and Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
• Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani — Historical peer (Born in 1920) (1920): Emir of Qatar (1960–1972) whose reign oversaw the nation's oil boom and independence.
• Abdullah of Saudi Arabia — Historical peer (Born in 1924) (1924): King of Saudi Arabia, known for his role in modernizing the kingdom's governance.
• Ahmadou Ahidjo — Historical peer (Born in 1924) (1924): Cameroonian politician and first President of Cameroon (1960-1982).
• Aaron Klug — Historical peer (Born in 1926) (1926): Pioneering biophysicist known for crystallographic electron microscopy and nucleic acid structure.
• Abdus Salam — Historical peer (Born in 1926) (1926): Pioneering Pakistani theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate.
• Abdul Basit 'Abd us-Samad — Historical peer (Born in 1927) (1927): Renowned Egyptian Quran reciter, celebrated for his melodious and emotionally engaging style.
• Abdul Halim of Kedah — Historical peer (Born in 1927) (1927): Sultan of Kedah and Yang di-Pertuan Agong, a pivotal Malaysian royal figure.

Frequently Asked Questions about Communist Party of Indonesia