« Indonesia’s independence is not our ultimate goal. Independence is merely a prerequisite for achieving justice, happiness, and prosperity for all citizens, » said the proclamator Mohammad Hatta (1902-1980).

To achieve these three goals, we need the rule of law. Therefore, when the national economy operates without legislation, it signifies an unacceptable void.

Today, Indonesia faces a peculiar reality. We have gained political independence but still lack a sufficient legal foundation to fully regulate the national economy. Everyone is busy crafting national political laws while neglecting national economic legislation.

Yet, Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution has long outlined the direction of Indonesia’s economy: socially just, based on familial principles, and grounded in economic democratization.

However, to this day, there is no comprehensive omnibus law that truly binds the national economic system according to this mandate.

The absence of a National Economic Law has led to fragmented, partial, and often conflicting economic policies. Without a unified legal framework, each ministry and economic institution operates based on its own sectoral logic.

The impact is not just overlapping policies but also the loss of direction and future economic orientation, which should guarantee structural justice for all citizens. The flood of poverty, unemployment, and inequality is undeniable proof of this legislative gap.

The national economy is, in essence, a collective expression of how a nation interprets sovereignty. It is not merely a number in GDP reports or import-export statistics.

It is how we manage land, water, and air for the greatest shared prosperity. It is about granting citizens space, access, and rights to the means of production, rather than sidelining them with biased free-market logic.

Moreover, the absence of a national economic law has allowed uncontrolled liberalization. Public commodities that should be state-controlled are commercialized. State assets are privatized.

Citizens’ interests are displaced by investment pressures and corporate expansion. All this occurs without adequate legal protection because our legislative framework remains empty in its most vital aspects. Thus, we must ask, « Who truly owns this nation’s economy? » The answer lies clearly in our constitution.

Article 33 states that land, water, and natural resources are controlled by the state and must be used for the people’s prosperity. Vital production sectors affecting public welfare must be state-controlled. These are not mere ideological rhetoric but constitutional mandates awaiting clear, operational legislation.

In such circumstances, citizens must not remain silent. We cannot leave economic legislation solely to political elites or technocrats working behind closed doors—let alone allow the trading of legal clauses.

Citizens, communities, academics, and activists must participate in drafting a national economic law that truly sides with the people. Because the economic democracy envisioned by the constitution cannot thrive if legislative democracy dies.

This process is not just a legal technicality. It is a matter of historical direction. Will Indonesia become a nation that lets the economy be controlled by markets and capital, or one that regulates the economy to achieve social justice and citizen sovereignty?

This is where citizen participation becomes crucial—not just as aspiration but as constitutional power to shape the future. We need laws that protect, strengthen, and develop people’s economic institutions like cooperatives, state-owned enterprises, and micro-businesses.

Not laws that facilitate privatization or reduce citizens to mere consumers and aid recipients. We need legislation that restructures the system to make mutual cooperation a working principle, not a normative slogan defeated by manipulative practices.

National economic legislation must begin with political courage and collective awareness that economic direction cannot be left to market forces alone. It must return to the spirit of the archipelago, Indonesian identity, and the noble values of Pancasila.

Because the economy is not a tool to enrich a select few but a medium to achieve shared welfare, dignity, and just humanity.

If we want a sovereign, dignified, and globally leading economic future, there is no reason to delay. The National Economic Law must be drafted, discussed, and enacted—not by elites but by all citizens.

Why? Because a national economy without law is a void. And that void will only be filled by the strongest, not those most in need and deserving.

Remember this advice: « When wealth accumulation no longer serves high national and social interests, a great shift in moral code will occur (John Maynard Keynes, 1883-1946). » Let us begin now.

Necessity and Constitutional Mandate

On sovereign economics, Adam Smith (1723-1790)

1945 Constitution

The **1945 Constitution** is the foundational legal document of Indonesia, drafted and adopted in August 1945 as the country declared independence from Dutch colonial rule. It establishes Indonesia as a unitary republic with sovereignty vested in the people, outlining principles such as social justice, democracy, and the national ideology of *Pancasila*. The constitution has undergone several amendments since 1998 to strengthen democratic governance and human rights protections.

Pancasila

Pancasila is the foundational philosophical theory of Indonesia, serving as the official state ideology since its proclamation on June 1, 1945, by Sukarno, Indonesia’s first president. It consists of five principles: belief in one God, just and civilized humanity, the unity of Indonesia, democracy guided by wisdom, and social justice for all. Pancasila was established to unify Indonesia’s diverse population and remains a core part of the nation’s identity and governance.

Article 33

« Article 33 » is a cultural venue and nightclub in Berlin, Germany, known for its vibrant electronic music scene and inclusive atmosphere. Established in a repurposed industrial space, it reflects Berlin’s history of underground club culture and creative reuse of abandoned buildings. The name and ethos may reference artistic freedom, though specific historical details about its founding are less documented compared to iconic clubs like Berghain.

National Economic Law

« National Economic Law » is not a specific place or cultural site but rather a field of legal study and practice that governs economic policies, regulations, and institutions within a country. It typically involves frameworks for trade, labor, taxation, and market regulation, often shaped by a nation’s historical and political context. For example, China’s National Economic Law has evolved alongside its economic reforms since the late 20th century, reflecting socialist market principles. If you meant a particular landmark or institution related to economic law, please provide more details.

John Maynard Keynes

John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946) was a British economist whose revolutionary ideas on macroeconomics, particularly his advocacy for government intervention to stabilize economies, shaped modern economic policy. Best known for his work *The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money* (1936), he founded Keynesian economics, which influenced post-World War II economic strategies. While not a physical site, his legacy is honored through institutions like the Keynes Society and his former home, Tilton House in Sussex, which reflects his intellectual heritage.

Adam Smith

Adam Smith (1723–1790) was a Scottish economist and philosopher, best known as the father of modern economics and author of *The Wealth of Nations* (1776), which laid the foundations for free-market capitalism. Born in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, he was a key figure in the Scottish Enlightenment and taught moral philosophy at the University of Glasgow. His ideas on division of labor, free markets, and the « invisible hand » remain influential in economics today.

Mohammad Hatta

Mohammad Hatta was an Indonesian nationalist leader, freedom fighter, and the first Vice President of Indonesia, serving alongside President Sukarno after the country’s independence in 1945. Born in 1902 in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Hatta was a key figure in Indonesia’s struggle for independence from Dutch colonial rule and was known for his intellectual contributions and advocacy for cooperative economics. Along with Sukarno, he proclaimed Indonesia’s independence on August 17, 1945, and later served as Prime Minister before retiring from politics in the 1950s. Today, he is remembered as a national hero, and several institutions, including Jakarta’s Hatta Airport, are named in his honor.

sovereign economics

« Sovereign economics » refers to the economic policies and systems managed by a nation’s government to maintain financial independence, stability, and growth. Historically, it has involved strategies like controlling national debt, managing currency, and regulating trade to protect a country’s economic sovereignty. The concept gained prominence with the rise of modern nation-states and remains crucial in debates over globalization versus protectionism.