Civil Society as a Public Sphere: Paguyuban Kelompok Tani as a Public Sphere
Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari is a civil society which it’s very interesting to analyzed. Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari is located in 5 (five) villages in the subdistrict of Tulung and the district of Klaten. It’s very interesting to be studied considering in my perpective this civil society is concentrating in community empowerment activities of farmers in particular. In my paper, I will explain how the Society use for society and members of this community itself as a public sphere. The methodology of this paper using interviews in Daleman Village and the Secretary of Yayasan Insan Sembada in Polanharjo to obtain the desired data. But, the validity be important, therefore, the authors conducted interviews with two actors both the YIS (Insan Sembada Foundation) and Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari. The purpose of this paper is to know and understand more deeply about hot the community used by societies as a public sphere. First of all, I will elaborate about the theory that I use which related with my topic. Then, I will related this theory with the reality which I found in my observe. At the final step, I will make a conclusion about how the civil society especially Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari as a public sphere.
Civil society become a group that was instrumental in this era of democratization. It has been discussed by political scientists from Thomas Hobes untuk John Locke, and other scientists. Habermas is one of many contemporary scientists who have constribution for civil society discourse. Budi Hardiman, Indonesian scientists identified that he is as neo- marxis who participate in the discourse of civil society, especially in critical theory. Hebrmas try to build an understanding of history specifically with criticism of European middle class style about civil society where the bourgeois get the place in public sphere. According to Habermas (and it has looked by Irfan Santoso, 2009), it need and ‘enlightenment’ about the interests which drive science.That is dismanle the ideological veil. However, Habermas does not accept the notion that knowledge must serve the interests, in this case the interests of certain classes. Habermas defined as the public of private individuals who join in debate issues bearing on state authority. Unlike the Greek conception, individuals are here understood to be formed primarly in the private realm, including the family. Moreover, the private realm is understood as one of freedom that has to be defended against the domination of the state (Calhoun, Craig 1992, p.7). Civil society offered by Habermas is a personal space that is must be independent from the state power and this space arises because its characteristics is private even from family. In his opinion, (in Calhoun, Craig 1992, p.8) capitalist market economies formed the basis of this civil society, but it included a good deal more than that. It included institutions of sociability and discourse only loosely related the economy. Then, Habermas shows that the public sphere, like civil society in general , could only be conceptualized in this full sense once the state was constituted as an impersonal locus of authority.
Bougeois’s public sphere such as the Marx’s conception, in Habermas’s opinion it is not only formatting the interests among people and countries, but further well it also form the pratice of rasionality and criticism discourse between society and state. Public sphere is formed because there are politcal issues between state and family like I explain above. While the state (capitalism) is strong so societies will create a public sphere. Therefore, there is an institutinalized privacy so form a societies and in this public sphere there are privat sphere which have particular interests. Habermas also presented the points that political participation is occurs as a democratic education. Every individual is free to actulize his opinion, and Habermas assume that everyone is equal but there are distinctions of power. Habermas called the public sphere of civil society, an arena of deliberative exchange in which rational- critical arguments rather than mere inherited ideas or personal statutes could determine agreements and actions. It was an operationalization of civil society’s capacity for self-organization, one that emphasizad plurality and reason (Calhoun, Craig 1992, p. 273).
Rutherford (this detail could look in http://records.viu.ca) say that a public sphere began to emerge in the 18th C. through the growth of coffee houses, literary and other societies, voluntary associations, and the growth of the press. In their efforts to discipline the state, parliament and other agencies of representative government sought to manage this public sphere. The success of the public sphere depends upon:
- the extent of access (as close to universal as possible),
- the degree of autonomy (the citizens must be free of coercion),
- the rejection of hierarchy (so that each might participate on an equal footing),
- the rule of law (particularly the subordination of the state),
- and the quality of participation (the common commitment to the ways of logic).
I take the object of my analysis is Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari. This Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari was established on January 20, 2011. The iniation of formation of this community occurs in Rapat Kerja Program Sebar (Sosio & Ecology-Based Bussiness Empowerment within Aqua Rings) 5 villages in Subdistric of Polanharjo, The region of Klaten be held in Tawangmangu on 22nd to 23rd September 2010. The participant of meeting consist of The Chief of Villages, the the board representatives of farmer groups, PPL Agriculture and this meeting facilitated by YIS-Aqua agreed to form a farmer’s forum between villages in assisted areas YIS-Aqua is located in Polanharjo, Tulung, Klaten, such as Wangen Village, Karanglo Village, Polan Village, Keprabon Village, Kebonharjo Village in The District of Polanharjo and Daleman Village in the District of Tulung. After that, they followed up to hold the second meeting which attended by The Head of Village and the representatives of farmer groups in secretariat of YIS in Keprabon Villages. From this meeting, they found conclusion about the name of the community, and stewardship structure consisting of a chairman, vice chairman, secretary, treasurer and coordinator of each village. This Paguyuban have vision and mission. Name selection is also based on consideration, the word "Sembada" means an independent, they hopes through this community, especially farmers in the 6 villages assisted YIS-Aqua and Indonesia are generally farmers increasingly independent and have abilyty to meet their needs. While the word “Lestari” means means sustainable, hoping this community can encourage farmers to manage agricultural land with environmentally friendly principles, so that environmental sustainability will always be maintained. The Vision of Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari is “Terwujudnya masyarakat petani yang mandiri tanpa meninggalkan kelestarian lingkungan”, while the vision is: First, to change the mindset of farmers to perform agricultural cultivation is environmentally friendly. Second, to create an orderly planting pattern, the third, to develop a network of markets to help farmers in marketing their agricultural products. Members of the Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari which chaired by Mr. Suprapta is consist from all the farmers in the 6 villages assisted YIS-Aqua totaling more than 600 people (this detail could look in www.yis.or.id).
Paguyuban become a place for rural societies especially the members of Paguyuban in actualize theirselves. According with Habermas’s theory of the Public Sphere that the indicators of civil society successfully are the extent of access (as close to universal as possible), the degree of autonomy (the citizens must be free of coercion), the rejection of hierarchy (so that each might participate on an equal footing), the rule of law (particularly the subordination of the state), and the quality of participation (the common commitment to the ways of logic), I will idetified one by one this indicators.
First, the extent of access (as close to universal as possible). The member level of access against Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari is easy. Why do I say it’s easy? Of course it is based on the accessibility to paguyuban members and socities accessibility to the other actors outside the paguyuban. One case that I take is when societies get a problem, the members have a tendency to consult to the Yayasan Insan Sembada (CSOs).
According to Dony (personal communication 2012, January 14th), the establishment of this society, first of all comes from the Coorporate Social Responsibilyty of PT Tirta Investama who have a community empowerment program. PT Tirta Investama then invited YIS as CSO for delegating authority on the basis of cooperation with YIS to empower people in six villages. Therefore, the YIS make the Work Program in the area of the proxies in 6 villages. YIS role itself in the Paguyuban as a facilitator, where YIS has responsibility for the exercise of a later project and if the Paguyuban is already self-sufficient, independent, and have a ability as civil society, they will be released by YIS. As example of how the management of YIS is in the making process of AD ART where YIS become a consultant for farmers who have aspirations. Of course consultation to YIS is one example of the accessibility of the Society to the other actors of civil society. In addition to accessibility to fellow actors of civil society, the community has access to the government and the public economy (PT Tirta Investama).
The next question is what kind of accessibility that happen? Access to the government carried out by means of advocacy. It was justified by Mr. Suprapta (personal communication 2012, January 11st) that the Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari also received support from the Government of Klaten by providing assistance and advocacy to governments is relative easy because of the opennes of Klaten Government to receive every complaints from the public. Accessibility of civil society in my opinion is also related with the area of the Paguyuban where it is located in the farm region as a CSR projects of PT Tirta Investama conducting cooperation with the YIS to empower communities.
In addition to accessibility in the form of access to other actors, access to individuals in the group started with activities in agriculture. Farmers who have a common destiny and self-awareness make conversation to make a decision. The decision was realized that the formation of Gapoktan in every village (before the formation of Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari).
In the Paddy Field normally be a place to work every farmers and this place is to share with another and then they create a consensus. In this place, members of Gapoktan doing conversation and then continue in another meeting. Such as in Tawangmangu , there are access to meet with other gapoktan so happens a willing to create a society consensus without coercion.
Second, the degree of autonomy (the citizens must be free of coercion), degree of autonomy is one aspect that is often discussed. Is the participation of farmers in this community occurs in the absence of coercion of any actors? I’ve explain above, the activity in Tawangmangu is the process of the degree of this autonomy. According to Doni (Personal Communication 2012, January 14th) The establishment of sustainable community is a group of farmers sufficiency scenarios conducted by the Yayasan Insan Sembada as CSOs. This CSOs have concentration in home industries such as agriculture artisans and develop human. The formation of Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari is started through a meeting which held in Tawangmangu which was attended by the village head and members of gapoktan farmers in six villages with no coercion. Starting from that meeting, YIS initiated to unite the six villages. Continue with a meeting at the Secretariat of YIS in Polanharjo. There are deliberations to form a group format that will be made is related to the name and management, including the chairman. First of all, it is to form a group format, would form community or associational. YIS proposes to formatting this society be “community” rather than to the association on the basis of considerations in the management easier and more powerful feeling of solidarity, while the association if the format is more macro in its management, and modern, does not fit the context and substance of society in Daleman and other areas which they are still traditional. Finally, after long deliberation it was decided that the group has shaped the community (paguyuban).
From these facts we can see that the formation of the community can not be separated from the autonomy of CSOs (YIS). It could be argued that Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari is a Sub-CSOs from the Yayasan Insan Sembada because they have the concentration of the same program-oriented work and is a target of YIS itself. Society has not been independently considering its age is still a year and this Paguyuban still have a dependence to other actor such as funds derived from PT Tirta Investama. According Suprapta (personal communication 2012, January) Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari are always getting help from AQUA even since the founding of the community, AQUA give 5.000.000.00 Rupiah for each small group. In addition, this Community funding also comes from the production of rice which sold in Polanharjo. Rice products is still using the brand of PT Tirta Investama because it is a product of cooperation between farmers and companies. The policy making process, advocacy, and meetings held by independency of the PT Tirta Investama and the government even though the funds have not been independent. Stewardship of this community is a public figure who has been important in Gapoktan.
Ketiga, the rejection of hierarchy (so that each might participate on an equal footing). Rejection of hierarchy in this Paguyuban doing by members of this Paguyuban in the election of the chairman. This election doing with democratic through their participation in the appointment and even performed on the basis of consideration of each individual. According to Doni (personal communication 2012, January 14th) there are two candidates for chairman, namelu Mr. Djuwandi and Mr. Suprapta, and because Mr. Djuwandi is quite old to guide this organization, so community chose Mr Suprapta who have the education and experience adequate organization. Rejection of hierarchy is not only shown in tis election, but also demonstrated in their own Paguyuban activities. All members become active participants without distinction of status. Mr. Suprapta as landlords, Doni as a scholar and scientist, and farmer as a laborer in general does not apply when doing activities. Paguyuban became a public space that merge status differences that emerges itself awareness.
Fourth, the rule of law (particularly the subordination of the state). Rule of law that is created is divided into 2, they are physical laws and values in society. This Paguyuban has been incorporated and registered in a notary deed. In addition, a physical law is actualized in the form of AD ART. Values and beliefs in this societies becomes a complement of law enforcement which because by similar fate of societies as a farmer who must be increased.
Fifth, and the quality of participation (the common commitment to the ways of logic). The quality of participation in this societies is looked in every activities which held by them.
Logic equations arise in their minds that farmers have looked underestimated but they are important actors in development and therefore farmers need to be empowered. Empowerment is done through education and seminars. The seminars have held in collaboration with the local agricultural bureau and examples of comparative is studies of comparative studies at Green Valley in Sukoharjo and Sawangan Magelang. The logic are hapenning here beetween farmers and Paguyuban, this logic is symbiotic mutualism between farmers with other farmers and between farmers and the Paguyuban as a public space. The goal is to produce an environmentally friendly crop, growers of quality, and container and creative aspirations.
This Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembadi Lestari could be one aspect of democratization for state. Development of human have contribute for the progress of region. Empowerement of society create knowledges for farmers to doing something changes particular. Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lesatri in ways to independency, they produce rice which it was transacted in market. In Suprapta’s opinion (personal communication 2012, January 12) the result of producing is C4 Bramo Rice which are produced in Manggung Village, Daleman. While Mentik Hitam and Beras Wangi was produced in Karanglo Village, Klaten. In addition to producing rice, Paguyuban also produce fertilizer with principle of non-chemical agricultural production and healthy. The presence of this paguyuban have responded well by societies in Manggung village because now they have media of cretivity.
This Paguyuban hold a basic meeting for 3 months which was attended by all of members in this societies. Contents of meeting is all about program or discussion abot problem in societies. For example of programs that have been produces is the cooperation with Balai Benih Tegalgondo and Balai Benih Banyudono Boyolali. The society activities tends to fluctuate, even partisipation of people tends to fluctuate too. There are time when people is vacuum. There was a time when public partisipation has increased significantly. Aspiration of societies looks likes fluktuative and dynamic.For example is when meeting must be held for 3 months but there, actually failed to be held and have vacuum. The instensity of member’s participation decreases when there are problems that emergency such as outbreaks of planthopper pests. For another example, when there is a cases of transition to community agencies are legal entities and need a notary as an organizational device. Now, societies responce jave veru high response. However, this intensity could decreased because of the farmers have busy with their own fields due to plague affected planthopper.
Associated with outbreaks occurring planthopper, members of the community as an object in the affected areas as well as its role as a subject is required to have solution for this problem (as a member of the community), the members play an active role in providing solutions. Advocacy to the government was not as smoothly as thought. But the first response came from the PT. Tirta Investama by giving advice to farmers to please identify problems that occur and resolve these problems, the PT. Tirta Investama donated a tractor to each village and in the form of funds. While the government as the saviors and donated medicine to eradicate the plant hopper which they needed. The context of government by regents clearly different, in this case the regent as the protector of the founding of the community. After 3 times crop is failure, there is serious concern from the government. Even from the provincial government that is the father of the governor who gave immediate attention to the farmers. (Doni, personal communication, January 14th, 2011).
As for the role of women, women's self-consciousness chose not to participate in community activities. This is due to many factors that is associated with women's interests outside the farm as a housewife. Women prefer to continue the stewardship of her husband. (Suprapto, Personal communication, January 10, 2012). This supports the concept of self-consciousness in which Habermas autonomous from any party to be one of the essence of civil society as a public space. Practices of rationality is created when there is a sense of common fate. But the feeling of kinship is not the main factor driving the formation of civil society.
Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari is a public space where the society member engage in economic activities and activities of their democratization. There is no denying the presence of external factors in the realization of civil society. The factor is the support of CSOs that have matured as a civil society. Sembada Insan Foundation had been established in the 1970s have matured in the ideological and institutional. Even the funds, donor agencies have been a customer of USAID to funds for CSOs this (this detail looked in www.yis.or.id). Awareness of the society to participate as agents of change through the community appreciated the independent and relatively immature.
Based on my elaboration above, So I conclude that the Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari used by the public as an independent public spaces to create a consensus. This facilitates the community and community members to improve the quality of agriculture and contribute to regional development. This consensus process to create a more democratic society that is civil society. Communities that have high levels of easy accessibility to public spaces, people who have a degree of autonomy, the people who reject the existence of a hierarchy within the community, people who have the rule of law, as well as people who have aspirations of quality. All are clad in a public space called the Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari.
But there are new findings that self-awareness is not the only factor of the public sphere and civil society. But there are supporting factors such as the interests of other fellow actors of civil society to empower people and make society as civil society and corporate accountability in terms of CSR to account for the existence of the company by building societies. These relationships contributed to my conclusion that the civil society as a public space is not entirely due to self consciousness.
Sumber: Hasil Penelitian Grezia Eleganza Nur Pradani, Mahasiswa Jurusan Politik dan Pemerintahan UGM
Referensi:
Calhoun, Craig 1992, Habermas and The Public Sphere, The MIT Press Cambridge, Massachussets, and London, England.
Yayasan Insan Sembada 2010, Profil Paguyuban Kelompok Tani Sembada Lestari, Surakarta, dilihat 9 Januari 2012, http://www.yis.or.id/.
Santoso, Irfan 2009, ‘Jurgen Habermas: Problem Dialektika Ilmu Sosial’, Junal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol.3, No.1, dilihat 15 Januari 2012, hh. 101-113.
Soules, Marshall 2008, Jurgen Habermas and The Public Sphere, dilihat 14 Januari 2012, <http://records.viu.ca/~soules/media301/habermas.htm 2008>.
