Evolution of Minahasa politics: The shifting outlook of ‘United Minahasa’ in the context of Indonesian nationalism in 1927

Abstract

The developmental movement, led by young generations and influenced by different factors, is a significant force. In this context, party politics in Minahasa has experienced substantial growth and evolution, showing the dynamic trends observed in Java with the transformative nature of national movement. This is a tangible example of political education for society, particularly the intellectual race. Therefore, this study aims to examine the factors leading to a shift in the outlook of “United Minahasa” in the context of Indonesian nationalism in 1927. Christopher Lloyd and Marc Bloch conduct analyses using structuralist and historical methods. The analyses comprise four stages, namely, formulating problems and historical observations related to sources of Minahasa regional organization, critiquing historical records or testing data from available sources, generalizing data relevant to the problem, as well as analyzing causes and effects related to the problem. Additionally, data collection includes investigating literature or documents, such as related studies and published books. The analysis methods comprise steps such as generalization and appropriate categorization in line with the problem. The results show that national movement has changed orientation and scope without focusing on the regional level. In the context of national movement, Minahasa people in and outside Manado area, have appreciated the period through regional organizations. Consequently, the adoption of Indonesian nationalist perspective allows the cultivation of a mature, and independent outlook. This paradigm shift is related to the vastness of the nation, including a population with diverse ethnicities, languages, religions, and customs.