Human Dignity as the Normative Foundation of Legal Legitimacy: A Pancasila-Based Philosophical Framework

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

PhD Candidate of Law Department, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract

This article examines human dignity as the normative foundation of legal legitimacy within the framework of Pancasila. This research stems from the conceptual problem that legal legitimacy is often reduced to formal legality, procedural compliance, and policy effectiveness, thus neglecting the dimension of normative justification toward legal subjects. The purpose of this research is to explain how Pancasila positions human dignity as a non-derivative principle that serves as the foundation and limit for the validity of law and the exercise of state power. Using a normative-philosophical approach, this article analyzes the relationship between Pancasila as a material basic norm, human dignity as the right to justification, and its implications for the principles of the rule of law, democracy, and legal pluralism. The research results indicate that in the Pancasila legal system, legal legitimacy cannot be understood solely as the outcome of procedures or the will of the majority but rather as a normative practice that must be rationally accountable to humans as dignified subjects. This research also shows that legal pluralism, including customary law practices, can serve as a means of actualizing human dignity as long as it remains within the horizon of rational justification and the prevention of institutional humiliation. This finding confirms that Pancasila offers a coherent philosophical framework for integrating legal legitimacy, democracy, and human dignity in a pluralistic society and provides a normative basis for human-centered legal reform.

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References

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Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Volume 20, Issue 56 - Serial Number 56
Articles
Issue 56, Autumn 2026
October 2026
Pages 767-782

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