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Oliver Cromwell’s 1653 Speech Rings True for Indonesian Politicians Today

The amendments to the Legislative Election Law will shape the next House of Representatives.

Four hundred years ago, England was in turmoil due to the arrogance of its king, Charles I, and the infighting among Parliament. Eventually, the king was done away with and what was thought to be a democratic government was installed. However, within six years the government was behaving just as badly, if not worse than the king. The politicians’ sole concern was to make money and extend their power by undemocratic processes.
 
Oliver Cromwell, who had led the opposition against the king, came out of retirement and rode up from Cambridge to London. He stormed into the Parliament building and said to the stunned politicians:
 
“It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt for all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice. You are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government. You are a pack of mercenary wretches. … Is there a single virtue remaining among you? Is there one vice you do not possess? You have no more religion than my horse. Gold is your God. Which of you have not bartered your conscience for gold?  Is there a man amongst you who has the least care for the good of the country? You sordid prostitutes, you have defiled this sacred place … and turned it into a den of thieves by your immoral principles and wicked practices. You have grown intolerably odious to the entire nation. You who were deputed by the people to address the country’s problems are now the problem. … In the name of God, get out of here!”
 
He threw the MPs out of the House of Parliament and locked up the building, then appointed himself Lord Protector of England and governed the country democratically and justly until his death. After Cromwell, things reverted to chaos, but they were never the same again — a sense of democracy and responsibility in government was born and developed.

Cromwell's speech needs to be read to Indonesian politicians today. The trouble is, would anyone be in the House to hear? In all likelihood, they would probably be off somewhere doing a deal or orchestrating an embezzlement. Or appearing before the KPK.

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