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Mochtar Kusumaatmadja’s Legal Development Theory as an Epistemological Solution for Indonesian Legal Reform

Journal of Law and Legal Reform · Vol. 7 No. 3 (2026) · hlm. 1365–1400

DOI
10.15294/jllr.v7i3.47279
ISSN
2715-0968, 2715-0941
Terbit
2026-07-13
Penerbit
Faculty of Law, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia
Bahasa
eng
Lisensi
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0

Abstrak

The development of Indonesian legal science continues to face the challenge of constructing an epistemological foundation that reconciles legal certainty, social change, national development, public participation, and substantive justice. In this context, Mochtar Kusumaatmadja’s Legal Development Theory remains important because it offers a framework for understanding law not merely as a formal system of rules, but as a means of orderly social transformation. However, the theory has also generated critical debate, particularly regarding its theoretical status, its instrumental character, and its potential to serve as a justification for state-centered development. This article aims to analyze the epistemological foundations of Legal Development Theory and to reassess its position as a conditional epistemological solution for Indonesian legal reform. This research employs a normative legal method, drawing on conceptual, historical, and philosophical approaches. The legal materials are analyzed through conceptual analysis, historical contextualization, critical epistemological interpretation, and comparative theoretical reflection. The findings show that Legal Development Theory is grounded in a pragmatic and contextual epistemology that integrates normative validity, social responsiveness, developmental function, and Indonesian legal values. Nevertheless, this article argues that the theory should not be understood as an unconditional solution. Its relevance depends on whether development-oriented law is controlled by Pancasila, legal certainty, meaningful public participation, substantive justice, constitutional legitimacy, and the plural character of Indonesian society. By placing Legal Development Theory in dialogue with Progressive Law, Bernard Arief Sidharta’s legal thought, and Pancasila-based legal philosophy, this article contributes to Indonesian legal scholarship by reconstructing the theory as a contextual, participatory, and justice-oriented epistemological framework for legal reform.

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  • Padjadjaran University
  • Universitas Sumatera Utara
  • State University of Semarang
  • Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia
  • Muhammadiyah University Purwokerto
  • Diponegoro University
  • Universitas Jember
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Rekan penulisOrganisasiArtikel bersama
Detania SukarjaUniversitas Sumatera Utara2
Ikhsan LubisUniversitas Sumatera Utara2
Vicko TaniadyUniversitas Jember2
Moch. Marsa TaufiqurrohmanPadjadjaran University2
Zeehan Fuad AttamimiMuhammadiyah University Purwokerto1
Fadhil UmarDiponegoro University1
Salman AlfarisiState University of Semarang1
Indah Sri UtariState University of Semarang1
Ratih DamayantiState University of Semarang1
Umar MubdiUniversitas Gadjah Mada1
Teguh Tresna Puja AsmaraPadjadjaran University1
Bambang Daru NugrohoPadjadjaran University1
Mariane Magda KetarenAfiliasi tidak diketahui1
Mahmul SiregarUniversitas Sumatera Utara1
Robert RobertUniversitas Sumatera Utara1
Dedi HariantoUniversitas Sumatera Utara1
Etty MulyatiPadjadjaran University1
Rita SupandiAfiliasi tidak diketahui1
Absar KartabrataAfiliasi tidak diketahui1
Sunarmi SunarmiState University of Semarang1

Afiliasi berasal dari OpenAlex; metadata OAI-PMH jurnal tidak memuatnya. Penulis tanpa ID OpenAlex dicocokkan berdasarkan nama, sehingga dua orang bisa tergabung atau satu orang bisa terpisah.

Sumber metadata: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/jllr/oai, pertama di-harvest 6 Nov 2026, terakhir terlihat 8 Nov 2026.
Metadata asli (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Mochtar Kusumaatmadja’s Legal Development Theory as an Epistemological Solution for Indonesian Legal Reform</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Savitri, Aisha Mutiara</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Murwadji, Tarsisius</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Lita, Helza Nova</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Putranto, Rahmat Dwi</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Tajudin, Amalina Ahmad</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Legal Development Theory</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Mochtar Kusumaatmadja</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Pancasila</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Indonesian Legal Reform</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Public Participation</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">The development of Indonesian legal science continues to face the challenge of constructing an epistemological foundation that reconciles legal certainty, social change, national development, public participation, and substantive justice. In this context, Mochtar Kusumaatmadja’s Legal Development Theory remains important because it offers a framework for understanding law not merely as a formal system of rules, but as a means of orderly social transformation. However, the theory has also generated critical debate, particularly regarding its theoretical status, its instrumental character, and its potential to serve as a justification for state-centered development. This article aims to analyze the epistemological foundations of Legal Development Theory and to reassess its position as a conditional epistemological solution for Indonesian legal reform. This research employs a normative legal method, drawing on conceptual, historical, and philosophical approaches. The legal materials are analyzed through conceptual analysis, historical contextualization, critical epistemological interpretation, and comparative theoretical reflection. The findings show that Legal Development Theory is grounded in a pragmatic and contextual epistemology that integrates normative validity, social responsiveness, developmental function, and Indonesian legal values. Nevertheless, this article argues that the theory should not be understood as an unconditional solution. Its relevance depends on whether development-oriented law is controlled by Pancasila, legal certainty, meaningful public participation, substantive justice, constitutional legitimacy, and the plural character of Indonesian society. By placing Legal Development Theory in dialogue with Progressive Law, Bernard Arief Sidharta’s legal thought, and Pancasila-based legal philosophy, this article contributes to Indonesian legal scholarship by reconstructing the theory as a contextual, participatory, and justice-oriented epistemological framework for legal reform.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Faculty of Law, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2026-07-13</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/jllr/article/view/47279</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15294/jllr.v7i3.47279</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Journal of Law and Legal Reform; Vol. 7 No. 3 (2026): July, 2026; 1365-1400</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2715-0968</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2715-0941</dc:source>
	<dc:source>10.15294/jllr.v7i3</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/jllr/article/view/47279/10828</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2026 Aisha Mutiara Savitri, Tarsisius Murwadji, Helza Nova Lita, Rahmat Dwi Putranto, Amalina Ahmad Tajudin (Author)</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0</dc:rights>
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