10.47313 BENDESA ADAT AND GENERAL ELECTION 2019: CASE STUDY OF LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES IN KLUNGKUNG, BANGLI AND BADUNG REGENCIES

BENDESA ADAT AND GENERAL ELECTION 2019: CASE STUDY OF LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES IN KLUNGKUNG, BANGLI AND BADUNG REGENCIES

Abstract

The critical position of traditional villages in Bali as institution that is responsible for preserving
traditional rites and culture in Bali go hand in hand with the critical role of traditional village leader,
or what is known as Bendesa Adat. In the Balinese context, Bendesa Adat has greater power and
influence than the Village Head or Perbekel. These various advantages led Bendesa Adat to become
directly involved in the world of politics. In the context of the 2019 General Election, there were
sixteen Bendesa Adat who were running to become legislative candidates at the district level. This
research is using a descriptive-qualitative method through a case study approach of three Bendesa
Adat who were running as legislative candidates, namely I Ketut Gunaksa as the Bendesa Adat of
Jungutbatu, I Made Sudiasa as the Bendesa Adat of Undisan Kelod, and I Made Wijaya as the
Bendesa Adat of Tanjung Benoa. This research uses James Scott's patron-client theory and is
supported by several theories about power and social networks. As a results, it was found that the
patron-client relationship that occurs between Bendesa Adat as patron and krama adat as client falls
into the klaster patron client group, because Bendesa Adat who were running as a legislative
candidate in the 2019 elections had direct interaction with his krama adat. This direct interaction
encouraged the development of personal relationships between Bendesa Adat and their krama adat.
This closeness between patrons and clients gave rise to loyalty of krama adat to Bendesa Adat as a
form of remuneration. This loyalty entered into political spaces by supporting the Bendesa Adat to sit
as members of the legislature even without a written agreement. This then might create an reciprocal
relationship