Kewajipan Politik: Sejarah, Ciri-ciri dan Teori-teorinya (Political Obligation: Its History, Characteristics and Theories)

Abstract

In a state life, there is a relationship between the ruler and the ruled. The relationship is in the form of order and obedience. Order is from the rulers or the leaders, and obedience is from the ruled or in the modern life is from the citizens. This is called a political obligation. However, not all of us know in depth what political obligation is all about. For instance, when did the phrase political obligation come into use? What are the characteristics of political obligation and how they differ from civil obligation? Other than that, what are the theories that justify or buttress the need for that obligation? This justification is looked from the western and Islamic views. Hence, this article studies the background of the emergence of the concept of political obligation, analyze the characteristics of political obligation and its difference from civil obligation and to recognize thetheories of political obligation from the western and Islamic views. This study reveals that the subject of political obligation had long been discussed back to the time of Socrates or even earlier than that as in the discussion of Sophocles in his play. In the western perspective there are natural law theory, traditional theory, consent theory, utilitarian theory and justice theory. In Islamic politics, there are juridical theory of caliphate, implementation of syariah and justice theory and ‘asabiyah theory. Both the ruler and the ruled are obligated to perform their obligation respectively.