LEKRA LITERATURE IN POLITICAL CONFLICT: THE STRUGGLE FOR HEGEMONY ON ANTONIO GRAMSCI

This paper aims to reveal literary events within Lembaga Kebudayaan Rakyat (Lekra). Lekra literature emerged when the cultural institution was founded on August 17, 1950. Lekra was one of the organizations where writers gathered under the Partai Komunis Indonesia (PKI). This cultural institution upheld strong and firm principles, ideologically opposed to Manifesto Kebudayaan (Manikebu). The problem is, why is Lekra literature less known to the public, especially among students and university scholars? It seems to have been marginalized by the power of the Orde Baru (Orba) regime. What factors caused this marginalization, and what is the artistic concept of Lekra writers? To reveal these issues, this study employs Antonio Gramsci's theory of hegemony. The study is qualitative descriptive in nature, using a literature review method. The data are sourced from documents, including books, articles, reviews, and novels related to Lekra literature. Selected data are then contextualized within past and current political conditions. Supporting data include letters and previous researcher’s interviews with writers involved in Lekra. The findings show that the two conflicting cultural institutions held differing artistic ideologies. Lekra promoted the concept of “art for the people” with a socialist realism character, guided by the slogan “politics is the commander.” Manikebu, on the other hand, adhered to the slogan “art for art’s sake,” emphasizing universal humanism. These two organizations often attacked each other and engaged in polemics in mass media. The writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer, a Lekra board member, fiercely criticized Manikebu writers through his sharp writings. Several books by Manikebu authors were burned, and their authors were detained during the Orde Lama (Orla) era. Conversely, Pram’s works were banned and withdrawn from circulation during the Orba period. Pramoedya himself was detained in Jakarta and later became a political prisoner on Pulau Buru, Maluku. This study reveals positive aspects that could pave the way for reconciliation (national peace). Writers from both opposing camps and other political figures have begun to choose a path of peace. In the era of Reformasi, which upholds democracy, freedom of expression, and ideological differences, such disagreements need not be contested. Instead, these differences should be celebrated as part of Indonesia’s rich diversityovery.