Uncovering the Relationship between Political Policy and Religious Understanding with Political Participation: A Historical Approach

Political participation is one of the factors that can affect government policies. However, public political participation is volatile, depending on influencing factors. This research aims to uncover the relationship between political policy factors and religious understanding and political participation. The research was conducted on the Samin community of Tapelan Village using an oral history research method through interviews with 5 resource persons, including 2 Samin figures from Tapelan Village, 1 official from Tapelan Village, and 2 Muslim leaders from Tapelan Village. The results of the study show that there is a relationship between political policy and religious understanding of political participation. The policy of taking over the management of the Bola teak forest during the Netherlands colonial government encouraged the growth of Saminism (Agama Adam) where the political participation of the Samin community was apathetic. Meanwhile, the development program on the spiritual and mental aspects encourages the religious conversion of the Samin community to Islam where the political participation of the Samin community is spectators and gladiators which is indicated by participation in election activities, active lobbying, and establishing contact with Tapelan Village government officials to convey the aspirations of the community, and active in organizational activities even though it is only at the village government level.