Rizal: Individual, Society & 19th Century Changes

• Students should be able to appraise the link between the individual and society
• Students should be able to analyze the various social, political, and economic changes that occurred in the 19th century
• Students should be able to demonstrate the understanding of Jose Rizal in the context of his time

Brief History of the "Arrival"

• Spain explored new routes
• Ferdinand Magellan led an expedition (first circumnavigation of the world) that was completed by Juan Sebastian Elcano
• King Charles 1 of Spain sought to measure the riches
• Miguel Lopez de Legazpi's voyage to the Philippines, with King Philip II, led to the establishment of a stable settlement in the archipelago

Basic Colonial Administration

• Administrative Seat of the Spaniards
• Principalia were a part of the Basic Colonial Administration
• Gobernadorcillo/Captain

19th Century Political Context

• The 19th century was a period of massive changes globally
• Filipinos were subjected to evils of oppressive rule like maladministration of justice

Brief Background: Economic Context

• There were technological innovations during this time
• An industrial revolution occurred
• The Suez Canal was active

Brief Background: Socio-cultural Context

• Rise of the middle class or principalias during the industrial revolution
• The middle class were economically viable and considered illustrados
• The illustrados led a propaganda movement
• The propaganda movement called for reforms regarding the deplorable conditions of Filipinos

Socio, pol, econ shaped Rizal

• Rizal is a product of the 19th century
• Rizal responded to the needs of his time
• Rizal had an active role in the propaganda movement
• The propaganda movement was a remedy for all tyrannies and injustices from Spaniards
• Rizal's idea of Filipino nation would not be possible without the events of 19th century

Political Context

• Evils of Oppressive Colonial Rule
• Liberalism
• Impact of Bourbon reforms
• Cadiz Constitution

Evils of Oppressive Colonial Rule

• In the political context, the 19th century involved massive changes globally
• Spain was slowly losing most of its colonies, resulting in colonial instability
• The Filipino people suffered from the evils of oppressive colonial rule
• There was maladministration of justice
• No equality existed before the law
• Racial prejudice
• Forced labor
• Frailocracy

Maladministration of Justice

• In disputes involving a Spaniard or a Filipino, courts often favored the Spaniard

No Equality Before the Law

• In the 19th century Philippine context, native nobles and pure-bred Spaniards enjoyed legal preference both in law and social duties

Racial Prejudice

• Fr. Burgos stated that a native Filipino would never succeed, no matter their efforts

Forced Labor

• "Polo y Servicio" refers to all Filipino males aged 16-60 who the Spanish government required to render labor
• Workers were called polistas
• The mandatory labor was called polo

Frailocracy

• Refers to the "government rule of the friars"
• In 19th century, there was not separation between the Church and the State
• The friars became so powerful, which resulted in the abuse of Filipinos

Liberalism

• A political doctrine that protects and enhances the freedom of the individual as the main political problem
• Thomas Paine described the government as "a necessary evil" in Common Sense (1776)
• Laws, judges, and police secure individual life and liberty, but their coercive power may turn against the individual

The Impact of Bourbon Reforms

• Spanish Bourbon Kings Philip V, Ferdinand VI, Charles III, and Charles IV advocated a century-long effort to reform and modify the Spanish empire
• Bourbon reform policies were an advantage that was under Spain from 1565 to 1898

The Cadiz Constitution

• A liberal constitution was declared in Cadiz (March 1812) during Napoleonic control of Spain
• The Cadiz Constitution is the primary Constitution to manage power in Europe, and perceiving sway as stemming from people
• It was extremely compelling to individuals of the Philippines in the nineteenth century, vested sway in the individuals, perceived people freedom and allowed privilege to testimonial

Laws of Indies

• The Philippine population was divided into four categories: The Spanish, Indios, Chinese-Filipino mestizos, and Chinese
• Under margins of colonial society were the Infidels, and Blacks or "savages"

Economic Context

• End of the Galleon Trade
• Opening of Suez Canal
• Mercantilism to Free Trade/Laissez Faire

European Industrial Growth

• In Europe, the use of increasingly expensive, powerful and productive steam engines resulted in the use of machinery in Europe's manufacturing sector (Odense, 2006)
• Inventions of tools and ships brought trade, governments, and people closer

Galleon Trade

• In 1565, the Spanish government shut the Manila sea ports to all nations (except Mexico), in this manner bringing forth Manila-Acapulco famously known as the "Ship Trade"
• It was a boat ("galleon") 250 year exchange going to and from between Manila (which landed first in Cebu) and Acapulco, Mexico
• It permitted present-day liberal plans to enter the Philippines, steadily moving the development for autonomy from Spain
• The trade finished on September 14, 1815 with Mexico's war of autonomy
• Mango de Manila, Tamarind, Rice, Carabao, Chinese tea and materials, Cockfighting, and Tuba (coconut wine) were stocks sent to Mexico from the Philippines through this trans-Pacific Exchange

Suez Canal

• An artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez
• It was formally opened on November 17, 1869
• The opening of the Suez Canal condensed the separation of movement among Europe and the Philippines, diminishing the journey to just 32-40 days
• It become a tremendous preferred position in business positions among Europe and East Asia
• The canal empowered the development of nationalistic wants of Jose Rizal and other Filipino illustrados
• It also supported the illustrados pursuit of instruction abroad and to learn logical and liberal thoughts in European establishments

Return of the Jesuits

• They returned in 1859 after being expelled in the Philippines to take charge of evangelization
• They brought new ideas and methods to the Philippine educational system
• The Ayuntamiento asked them to take charge over the municipal primary school, and they renamed it Ateneo de Municipal
• By 1865, Ateneo de Municipal was transformed into a secondary school
• Escuela Normal de Maestros provided Spanish-speaking teachers for the projected new primary school system

Mercantilism to Laissez Faire

• Mercantilism is used to unify and increase a country's power and monetary wealth by strict regulation of trade and foreign trading monopolies
• A mercantilist economy was disadvantageous for colonists, but advantageous to the motherland

Interest in the Filipino Past

• Modern historical methods in 19th-century German universities examined the origins of European and other nations

Socio-Cultural Context

• Education in the 19th century
• The rise of the Chinese Mestizo
• Rise of Inquilino

Education in the 19th Century

• Spain used European arrangement of Education by setting up schools run by Catholic ministries
• Religion was compulsory at all levels to convert locals to Catholicism
• King Philip II ordered Spanish specialists to instruct local people to learn Spanish
• First formal schools were the parochial schools opened in their areas by the teachers, for example, the Augustinians, Franciscans, Jesuits, and Dominicans
• Colleges were built up for young men and young ladies. History, Latin, Geography, Mathematics, and Philosophy were among the subjects educated
• University training was opened during the early piece of the 17th century, only for Spaniards and those with Spanish blood (mestizo)
• 19th-century colleges began to acknowledge native Filipinos
• Due to the developing number of instructed locals the "Illustrados" rose to power
• The opening of the Suez Canal contributed to the ease and frequency the Filipinos could seek training in Spain (Madrid and Barcelona)
• The 19th century saw the rise of the middle class and, prinicpalias
• There was an increasing demand for abaca and other crops in Europe, necessitating more Filipinos to cultivate lands
• Manila became a free port in 1834
• After several months, provincial ports in the Philippines were also opened to world trade
• Spanish officials recommended resources of the Philippine be exploited and cultivated to expand it's trade with Asia and Europe
• Spain implemented Reformation of Galleon Trade, Settlement of Spaniards in provinces for agricultural/trade purposes, and Government expropriation of the landed estates of the friar corporations

The Rizal Family

• The government allowed Filipinos to rent/cultivate lands
• Families were required to engage in farming
• Dominican estate benefited members of those families
• the Rizal family gained access to lands owned by a Dominican estate
• From leasing and cultivating this wealthy friar estate, planting crops, and other income practices, they were able to afford Rizal for western education

Rise of Inquilino

• Inquilino means "tenant"
• The 19th century inquilino, or tenant system, was a the right to use land in exchange for rent
• During harvest time, the administrator would collect the rent, organize the delivery of the harvests, and remit the income from sales and rents to the estate owners
• Inquilinos paid a fixed rent based on the size/quality of the land being cultivated
• The farmland leased to inquilinos increased, giving them the ability to sublease to sharecroppers or kasamas

Understanding Rizal in the Context of the 19th Century Philippines

• The political, economic, and social conditions of 19th century shaped the kind of Rizal
• One can scarcely understand Rizal's importance to the Filipino people or the relevance of his ideas/ideals if they do not understand that milieu (Schumacher, 1991)
• In order to know why Rizal fought for reforms, one must understand the political struggles of Filipinos of the 19th century
• In order to know why Rizal fought against the Spaniards, one must assess how the Spanish Government exploited the Filipinos through their economic policies
• To determine why Rizal attacked the friars in his novels, one much understand the social realities of the Filipinos his his time
• Rizal's Philippine context in the 19th century molded Rizal and allowed him to achieve Filipino identity
• Studying abroad and his observance of European law and culture led Rizal to realize the Philippines could be better if Spain protected its colony
• The independence that is possessed today is a result of people like Rizal and Filipino heroes

Explore the interplay between individuals and society, analyzing 19th-century social, political, and economic shifts. Understand Jose Rizal's context within his era, from Spanish exploration to colonial administration and the global transformations shaping the Philippines.