Description
THE simplest way to describe Sukarno is to say that he is a great lover. He loves his country, he loves his people, he loves women, he loves art, and, best of all, he loves himself.
Sukarno is a man of feeling and an appreciator. He takes a deep breath when he sees a beautiful scene. He waxes lyrical at an Indonesian sunset. He cries when he sings a Negro spiritual.
It has been said of me, "The President of the Republic of Indonesia has too much of the character of a man of the arts." But I thank the Almighty that I was born with sentiment and artistry. How else could I have become The Great Leader of the Revolution, as my 105 million people call me? How else could I have led my nation back to freedom and its own birthright after three and a half centuries of Dutch domination? How else could I have made a revolution in 1945 and created one unified Indonesia out of Java, Bali, Sumatra, Borneo, the Spice Islands, and the rest of the Netherlands East Indies?
The rhythm of a revolution is destruction and construction. Construction calls for the soul of an architect. And in the soul of an architect are the elements of feeling and artistry. The art of guiding a revolution is to find inspiration in everything you see. Can a person find inspiration in anything if he is not a man of feeling and a bit of the artist?
