19th Century Context of Rizal's Life PDF

I. How Did Rizal Became Who He Was? Rizal was raised in the 19th century, a time marked by significant changes in the world. He grew up amidst the Philippines' struggle for independence and the shifting social, economic, and political landscape of the time. These changes played a role in shaping...

I. How Did Rizal Became Who He Was? Rizal was raised in the 19th century, a time marked by significant changes in the world. He grew up amidst the Philippines' struggle for independence and the shifting social, economic, and political landscape of the time. These changes played a role in shaping his perspective on life. To better understand how Rizal became who he was, let's look back at what was happening in the 19th century. II. The 19th Century The 19th Century Birth of modernity The term modernity emphasizes the break from traditional ways of life and the emergence of new ideas, attitudes, and institutions that marked the transition to a new era. Before The 19th Century Monarchy Democracy Before The 19th Century Feudalism Capitalism  Before The 19th Century Passively-Accepting Reform-Minded The 19th Century Part of Age of Revolution During this era, the industrial revolution was taking place. New modes of production, transportation and communication were introduced, bringing about a shift from manual labor to machine- based production. This transformation of the economy and society resulted in new forms of work and leisure, as well as urbanization and the growth of cities. Various political revolutions also happened during the late 18th and 19th Century. This era was characterized by various political upheavals, including the American Revolution and the French Revolution, which were both heavily influenced by the Enlightenment, a philosophical movement that valued reason, rationality, and individualism.  The wave of political change challenged the power of the monarchy and paved the way for new forms of governance based on individual rights, nationalism, and freedom.  The 19th Century encompasses a new way of thinking about the world and one's place in it, characterized by an increased focus on individualism, rationality, and the belief in progress and the ability to shape the world through scientific, technological, and social advancement.  The 19th Century While different parts of Europe were flourishing, Spain was experiencing a slow decline To better understand why, we need to examine its economic condition during this period. III. Economical Condition Trading was already apparent among our ancestors even before the Spaniards colonized the Philippines. Early Philippine merchants traded with various countries, including China, Japan, Siam, Cambodia, India, Borneo, and the Moluccas. Amen na ito mga Indio! The Spanish Crown saw an opportunity to profit from this trade, and eventually closed the ports of Manila to all countries except Mexico. Why still open for Mexico?  During the 16th century, Mexico was a colony of Spain, just like the Philippines. This created a monopoly because Spain had exclusive control over the trade route and the goods that were traded. Hence, the birth of the Manila-Acapulco Trade. Also known as Galleon Trade. The trade monopoly that emerged from this decision made Manila the center of commerce in the East. Mangoes from Manila, as well as tamarind, rice, carabao, Chinese tea, textiles, fireworks, perfume, precious stones, and tuba (a coconut wine), were sent to Mexico. On the return voyage, numerous and valuable flora and fauna were brought into the Philippines, including guava, avocado, papaya, pineapple, horses, and cattle. Spain became a mercantilist superpower. But not forever. Why? By the late 18th century, the Galleon system faced tough competition as other nations became self-sufficient and preferred direct trade. Spain’s trading system and the demand for Asian goods eventually declined. Spain was heavily dependent on the silver mines of its colonies in South America, which slowly dwindled. The value of silver also declined due to the increased production of silver in the Americas, reducing the profit margins of Galleon Trade merchants. Revolts, particularly in the War for Independence in Mexico, took place in the New World, thus shifting the focus and priority of consumers away from trade. With the old trade system no longer sustainable, the Galleon Trade was ended by decree during the first decade of the 19th century.  Because the Galleon Trade ended, the Philippines need a commercial purpose.  The economic opportunities created by the Industrial Revolution had encouraged Spain in 1834 to open the Philippine economy to world commerce. The Philippines became a supplier of raw materials for the industries of the West by utilizing its underutilized land resources to venture into cash crop agriculture. cash crop agriculture is a type of farming where crops are grown primarily for sale rather than for personal or local consumption. British, Dutch, and American trading companies invested large capital in the country for the large-scale production of different products, such as tobacco and sugar. To make transactions easier, foreign investors need people who are already in the Philippines, such as Chinese, mestizos, and rich natives. They help them with the acquisition of lands, mobilization of labor, transportation of crops, and retail trade.  Chinese immigrants served as middlemen between the provinces, where the crops were planted, and the merchant houses of the Mestizos in Manila. Rich natives became tenants, known as‘Inquilinos'in Spanish.  Inquilinos oversee the production of cash crops by subleasing large estates or haciendas from friars and then subletting them to indigenous farmers.  Inquilinos oversee the production of cash crops by subleasing large estates or haciendas from friars and then subletting them to indigenous farmers. When the Suez Canal, an artificial sea-level waterway, was opened, the distance of travel between Europe and the Philippines was considerably shortened. The opening of the Suez Canal, construction of steel bridges, and safer and faster gave way to more intensive production of crops, which provided a huge advantage in commercial enterprises. From this, positive effects took place as the industrial revolution contributed many things to the people: The Philippines was opened for world commerce. Foreigners were engaged in manufacturing and agriculture. The Philippine economy became dynamic and balanced. There was rise of new influential and wealthy Filipino middle class. People were encouraged to participate in the trade. Migration and increase in population were encouraged. During 1825, the total trade of the Philippines was only 2.8 million pesos. In 1875, it was 31.1 million pesos, and by 1895, it had grown to 62 million pesos. What does all of this have to do with Rizal? The fast tempo of economic progress in the Philippines during the 19th century facilitated by Industrial Revolution resulted to the rise to a new breed of rich and influential Filipino middle class. This made the Inquilino class wealthy, which include the Rizal patriarch, the family Mercado. When Rizal’s Chinese ancestor Domingo Lam-co had come to the Binan hacienda in mid-eighteenth century, the average holding of an Inquilino was 2.9 hectares. After Rizal's father had moved to the Calamba hacienda, the Rizal family in the 1890s rented from the hacienda over 390 hectares. The family Mercado became one of the most affluent family in Calamba. This enabled the family to live a prosperous and comfortable life, thus giving the Rizal children more time and focus toward education. IV. Social Condition Education is considered a status symbol Only a few people, usually those with Spanish blood, have the opportunity to experience college education. This privileged people belong to the highest racial class. In the Mariana Islands, for administrative purposes, the Spanish racial hierarchy was as follows: Peninsulares Creoles or Insulares Mestizos Native Filipinos Indios The highest class is the Peninsulares-pure-blooded Spaniards who were born in the Iberian Peninsula, such as Spain. They were the officials and friars who had the power and authority to rule over the Filipinos. Insulares or Creoles were part of the second- highest racial class in the Spanish hierarchy below the Peninsulares. Insulares were the specific term given to creoles (full- blooded Spaniards born in the colonies) born in the Philippines or the Marianas. Mestizos, or colloquially Tisoy, is a name used to refer to people of mixed native Filipino and any foreign ancestry. At the bottom of the hierarchy were the Native Filipinos and Indio. Indios, a term used to refer to the poor people of the country who were viewed as inferior and treated as second-class citizens. The Spanish colonial government's discrimination against Indios limited their opportunities and social mobility. This oppression resulted in the term "Indio" becoming associated with social and economic oppression.. Spanish blood was highly valued during the Spanish colonial era, and as Spanish blood disappeared, so did all the privileges that came with it. Insulares, despite being part of the second-highest racial class, were viewed negatively because they were born in the Philippines or the Marianas, which were considered to be a "dumping ground" for societal misfits. Those with any trace of Indio blood were never considered the social equals of pure- blooded Spaniards. Since the Spaniards viewed Filipinos as inferior, they denied them access to education, associating them with backwardness, primitiveness, and inferiority.  As a result, obtaining a college education was difficult for those at the bottom of the hierarchy. While wealthy families like the Rizals were able to send their children to study in prestigious schools. The female children of the Rizal's studied at La Concordia, while their son Paciano studied at Colegio San de Jose. The relative prosperity of the period has enabled them to send their other sons to Spain and Europe for higher studies.  There, they were exposed to secular and liberal ideas, thanks to the French Revolution, which showed that a democratic world was possible. The exposure of these young Filipinos in Spain and Europe inspired them to form the Ilustrados,  Ilustrados a group of educated natives who sought freedom and independence from Spanish rule.  Ilustrados mean "erudite", "learned", or "enlightened ones".  Ilustrados One of their aims was to be in the same level with the proud Spaniards. V. Cultural Condition It has become commonplace to speak of the role of ideas learned by the European-educated Ilustrados in the emergence of the nationalist movement. However, it was not just this handful of Filipinos who were important, nor was it only the European intellectual atmosphere that stimulated nationalism. ‘Di lang kami?  A key factor in the emergence of nationalism in the late nineteenth century was the cultural development consequent on the rapid spread of education from about 1860. In many respects, the spread of higher education among middle and lower-middle-class Filipinos, who could not afford to go abroad, was more important for propagating the liberal and progressive ideas written about from Europe by Rizal or Del Pilar. Let us examine the educational reforms that happened in the mid-19th century. The Industrial Revolution necessitated changes in the education system of the Philippines. Schools need to focus on teaching skilled labor, as that is what the economy needs. Before this, schools had total and strict control from the friars. It can even be summed up in three words: inadequate, suppressive, and controlled. Children were taught to fear God over basic literacy and to obey the friars instead of learning how to count. They were instilled with the belief that they were inferior to others and were only capable of doing manual work. Whew. This educational system will no longer work to keep up with the modernizing world. The Educational Decree of 1863. The Educational Decree of 1863. This was a significant attempt by the Spanish Colonial Government to address the lack of formal education among Filipinos. It mandated the establishment of a public school system throughout the country and required each town to have at least one primary school for boys and girls, which was to be supported by municipal funds and supervised by the local government. This decree marked the beginning of formal education in the Philippines and opened up educational opportunities to a wider segment of society, including the middle and lower classes. However, the implementation of the Education Decree faced numerous challenges, including a lack of resources and qualified teachers. The curriculum was heavily influenced by the Spanish colonial government and focused on Catholicism and Spanish culture,  limiting the scope of education and hindering the development of a national identity among Filipinos.  Despite these challenges, the Education Decree of 1863 was an important step towards the democratization of education in the Philippines and laid the foundation for the development of a formal education system in the country. The return of the Jesuits was a significant event that influenced the educational system in the Philippines When the Jesuits returned to the Philippines, they returned with ideas and methods new to the educational system.  In 1865, Ateneo (which was handled by Jesuits) transformed into a secondary school that offered a level of instruction beyond the official requirements, more closely resembling today's college than high school. Alongside Latin and Spanish, subjects such as Greek, French, and English were also taught. Literature, Science, Philosophy, and Natural Science were also given an emphasis. It was in these secondary schools that the ideas of nationalism began to emerge, even among those who had never traveled to Europe. These reforms opened up educational opportunities to a wider segment of society, helping to democratize education in the country. By 1866, the proportion of literate people in the Philippines was higher than in Spain. The proportion of Filipino children attending school was also above average in European standards.  By emphasizing humanistic education and principles of justice and equality, these schools helped to undermine the foundations of the Spanish colonial regime and inspired a growing sense of national identity among Filipinos. This growing sense of nationalism would ultimately pave the way for significant political developments, including the pursuit of greater democracy. VI. Political Condition During Rizal's time, there were widespread calls for democracy in the Philippines. To understand why, we need to look back again to the 16th century. When Spanish missionaries introduced Christianity, they taught that all men are equal before God. Despite the teachings of Christianity, which emphasized equality among all people, the Spanish colonial authorities did not treat brown-skinned Filipinos equally. Most Filipinos (except the hinterland of Luzon and the Visayas and in Mindanao and Sulu) became Christians. And throughout the next three centuries, Spaniards used religion to justify their malicious behaviors: Forced Labor? Forced Labor? For God. Cultural Suppression? Cultural Suppression? For God. Conquest and violence? Conquest and violence? For God. Spain showcased this wonderful thing and used it for corruption, oppression, and exploitation. During Rizal's time, the court of justice in the Philippines was notoriously corrupt. They were a court of "injustice," as far as brown Filipinos were concerned. The Spanish fiscals (prosecuting attorneys) and other court officials were inept, venal, and oftentimes ignorant of the law. Brown Filipinos were often treated unfairly and justice was costly, partial, and slow. The poor had no access to the courts due to the heavy expenses of litigation, while the rich and those with white skin color were favored in court. Racial prejudice was rampant in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.  The local indigenous population was prohibited from organizing assemblies or political meetings. Merit was not based on one's capabilities or qualifications but on wealth, race, and connections with influential people.  This system of discrimination resulted in a sense of oppression and discontent among the local population. The Spanish colonial government in the Philippines was highly centralized and authoritarian. It enforced strict social and political hierarchies, denying Filipinos basic political rights and freedoms. The Church played a significant role in the state's proceedings, manipulating the indigenous people to comply with the state's laws as it saw fit. Meanwhile, the colonial government was primarily interested in exploiting the country's natural resources and labor for the benefit of Spain. In addition, the money collected from the natives was not used to improve their province, but rather for the self-betterment of the officials. The system was exploitative and maintained through the use of force, including military forces deployed to quell uprisings and rebellions. If you witnessed such injustices happening to your fellow Filipinos, wouldn't you feel angry? That's precisely how Rizal, Ilustrados, and other Filipinos who were exposed to liberal ideas felt when they witnessed such injustices. They viewed Spain as regressive, incompatible, and the main reason why the country was not progressing. In one of Rizal’s letter, he said: "I wanted to hit the friars since the friars are always making use of religion, not only as a shield but also as a weapon, protection, citadel, fortress, armor, etc., In one of Rizal’s letter, he said: I was therefore forced to attack their false and superstitious religion in order to combat the enemy who hid behind this religion... God must not serve as shield and protection of abuses, nor must religion. Those who shared Rizal's views wondered if other countries could achieve independence, could the Philippines also do so? The British colonial masters were overthrown to gain independence and achieve the status of becoming a sovereign nation, a feat that spread across European countries and other parts of the world. This motivated people to follow suit. Filipino reformists like Rizal were inspired by the revolution to pursue freedom and independence for the country. It's high time for these abuses to end. The thirst for reform and nationalism flourished in the liberal atmosphere, and, to make a long story short, this led to the Philippine Independence movement and the death of Rizal.  The cries for democracy during Rizal's time were a result of the long-standing injustices and corruption of the Spanish colonial authorities, who used religion to justify their actions. The call for democracy was a call for equality, justice, and fairness for all Filipinos, regardless of their skin color or social status. If Rizal were born today, would he still be the same Rizal that we knew? (BioShock)