Rizal in the Context
of 19th Century
Philippines
MR. HARRYL JAY [Link], LPT
Course Instructor
• Identify the economic, political, and socio-cultural
situation of the Philippines in the 19th century
• Analyze the impact of key events in the 19th century in
the development of national consciousness
• Compare and contrast the situation of the 19th century
Philippines to the present day scenario
Political Situation in
Spain during the 19th
Century
• There was a struggle
between the Liberals
and Conservatives.
• Spain lost most, if not
all, of its colonies in
South America in the
19th century.
How did it affect the
Philippines?
• Political Instability
• Constant replacing of
Governor Generals (41
Governor Generals w/in
45 years from 1853-1898)
• Failure to make or achieve
consistent policies
• Dumping ground of inept
bureaucrats
Rampant Graft and Corruption
typified by:
• Failure to provide basic needs
like public works, schools,
peace and order
• Taxes were never fully
utilized
• Limited participation of
Filipinos in the government
From Mercantilism (economic system used to unify and
increase the power and monetary wealth of a country by
strict government regulation of trade and foreign trading
monopolies) to Laissez-Faire/Free Trade
• Hand work to Machinery
• Domestic to Factories
• Capitalists vs. Laborers
• Laissez Faire (hands off)
vs. Socialists (government
should own and manage
means of production for
the benefit of all)
• A land estate organized to
supply a small-scale market
by means of scarce capital
• prominent in Luzon and
Visayas
• Hacienderos (Landowners)
– wealthy Filipinos & Friars
• Inquilinos – renters of the
land
• Kasama/Sharecropper
OPENING OF RISE OF
PORTS TO EXPORT
WORLD TRADE ECONOMY
RISE OF FILIPINO EDUCATION
MIDDLE-UPPER OF THEIR
CLASS CHILDEN
• The rise of middle-upper class led to the education of
Rizal.
• Rivalry between Friars and Tenants became one of the
motivators of Rizal to call for reforms of the church.
• The rampant corruption of government became a
reason why Rizal called for reforms in the government.
• The lack of concern of the government officials
motivated Rizal to call for the education of his fellow
Filipinos.
• The Ilustrados, otherwise known as the
“enlightened ones”, were the educated class
in the Philippine society during the
Spanish occupation.
• They were instrumental in paving the
way of the Propaganda Movement.
• The rapid spread of the Higher Education
among middle and lower middle class
Filipinos accelerated Filipino nationalism.
John Locke Charles Louis Jean-Jacques
Natural Rights: Montesquieu Rousseau
Life, Liberty, Separation of Social Contract
and Property Powers of the
Government
• Experiencing liberties in
Spain and noticing how it
was different compared
to the Philippines
• Saw the backwardness of
Spain compared to other
European nations and
saw how Spain cannot
manage their own
political problems.
• Filipinos instilled in their
minds a sense of pride and
national identity.
• Used Philippine history to
prove that three centuries of
Spanish rule did not lead to
any progress, only decline.
• Rizal averred that Filipinos
could have developed on
their own before the coming
of the Spaniards.
• Pride of being Filipinos.
• Responsible for the creation of the
Escuela Normal de Maestros and
Ateneo de Municipal.
• Instilled among Filipino students a
sense of nationalism through their
humanistic form of education.
• They inculcated in the minds of
students the principles of human
dignity, justice, and equality of all
men.
• The Jesuits were unlike other
friars, who were educators but
did not do too much to educate
the Filipinos.
• Instead of being proud of the
excellent performance of their
Filipino students, most of the
friars felt quite suspicious with
their success and invariably
sought to pull them down.
• Friars vs. Ilustrados
• Frailocracy – “friar rule”; friars
used religion to maintain Spanish
influence in the colony
• Governor Generals might come
and go, but the friars remained
permanently in the colony.
• They were devoted to Spain and
were highly influential among the
natives (used by the State)
• Considered as the most evil of all
men – Rizal considered them as
his enemies
• Used as political instruments to
maintain Filipino loyalty to Spain
• Became the target of Ilustrados
• Patronato Real – agreement
between the Pope and Spanish
monarch which gave the Spanish
monarch and its colonial
authorities power over the Church
and clergy in the colonies.
Father Jose Burgos
• Secularization Controversy –
continued what his mentor,
Father Pedro Pelaez started
• Fought for equality between
regulars and seculars
• Transformed and ecclesiastical
conflict to a larger issue of
Filipino equality with the
Spaniards.
• Father Jose Burgos became a
from left: Jacinto Zamora, Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos
threat to the friars and the
Spanish colonial
government in the
Philippines
• He, along with Father
Mariano Gomez and Father
Jacinto Zamora, were
accused of starting the
Cavite Mutiny.
• On Feb. 17, 1872 they were
arrested, convicted, and later
on executed via the garrote
• Influence of Father
Jose Burgos
• Frailocracy led to
Filipinos wanting to
get rid of the friars
• The execution of
GOMBURZA led to
the creation of the
Propaganda Movement