Aceh – Indonesia, If you follow world politics, you might have noticed an interesting aspect of the United States government system. The country, known as a primary example of a presidential system, does not use the term “Ministry” to refer to its government agencies.
When the US President announces the officials assisting them, they are not called Minister of Foreign Affairs or Minister of Defense, as in Indonesia. Instead, the terms used are Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. Both positions head executive agencies known as Departments.
So, why does the US use the terms Department and Secretary? Given that both countries operate under a presidential system, why does Indonesia use the term ministry instead?
The Origins of the Terms Secretary and Department
To understand the reason, we need to look back at the historical establishment of the US government in the late 18th century. At that time, the US Founding Fathers were drafting a system of government for a newly independent nation that had just broken away from British rule.
During that era, the term Ministry was closely associated with monarchical government traditions and the British parliamentary system. In that system, ministers maintained close ties to parliament and were actively involved in political processes that determined the government’s survival.
The Founding Fathers designed a system emphasizing the separation of powers. Executive authority was placed directly under the President. Consequently, executive branch agencies were designated as Departments, while the officials heading them held the title of Secretary.
The title Secretary also underscored their role as the President’s chief assistants in executing government administration, rather than independent political actors reliant on parliamentary support.
An exception exists in the Department of Justice, where the chief official holds the title of Attorney General. Despite the different title, this position maintains equivalent cabinet rank with other department heads.
Indonesia Previously Used the Term Department
The use of the term ministry in Indonesia was not consistently applied from the beginning. Prior to adopting the current nomenclature, Indonesia also utilized the term Department.
During the presidential eras of Soekarno and Soeharto, up through the early Reform era, terms like the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Finance were standard parts of the government structure. Common Indonesian acronyms like Deplu and Depkeu were widely recognized.
Meanwhile, during that period, the term State Ministry was primarily reserved for ministerial posts that did not directly head specific departments, including state ministers and coordinating ministers.
A major shift occurred in 2008. Through Law No. 39 of 2008, the government standardized its nomenclature. The terms Department and State Ministry were consolidated into a single term: Ministry.
Why Did Indonesia Choose the Term Ministry?
Despite sharing a presidential system, Indonesia relies on its own historical and constitutional foundations to define its government nomenclature.
First, provisions in the 1945 Constitution.
The Indonesian Constitution explicitly uses the terms “State Ministers” and “State Ministries” in Article 17 of the 1945 Constitution. Consequently, regulations governing executive structures must align with the constitutional language.
Second, historical and linguistic factors.
The word Minister (Menteri) originates from the Sanskrit word Mantri, meaning advisor or counselor. In Indonesian and Malay traditions, the term has long been used to denote officials assisting rulers in governance.
Thus, the term Minister carries a distinct historical and cultural context that differs from the title Secretary in the American governance tradition.
It Is About Function, Not Just Names
The divergence in terminology between the US and Indonesia demonstrates that presidential systems do not require identical structural forms.
The United States adopted Department and Secretary reflecting its founding history and a desire to distinguish itself from British parliamentary tradition. Indonesia uses Ministry due to distinct constitutional mandates, history, and bureaucratic restructuring needs.
Ultimately, these naming differences do not imply fundamental operational divergences. Both a Department in Washington, D.C., and a Ministry in Jakarta serve to assist the President in administering executive power and executing policy goals. (XRQ)