Notes on JPRMyAR

Notes on JPRMyAR
Full Name
Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896)
The World in Rizal’s Time
- In 1861, Tsar Alexander II officially proclaimed the emancipation of Russian serfs (and this is by millions).
- The American Civil War transpired (1861-1865). Negro Emancipation.
- Great Britain was a leading colonial power.
- The Chinese Manchu Dynasty was forced to cede Hongkong to the British (after the first Opium Wars).
- There is the industrialization, modernization and scientific progress.
- Industrialization (Toffler framework)
- Scientific Development (John Dalton – concept of atomic energy; Louise Pasteur – discovery of germs; Wilhelm Wundt – pioneered the start of modern psychology; Sigmund Freud – psychoanalytic theory; Charles Darwin – theory of evolution).
- Socialism (Karl Marx wrote the “Communist Manifesto”, abolition of private ownership of land, centralization of all means of production, bourgeoisie – proletariat).
- Democracy, rule of the people. There is a shift from aristocracy to democracy.
Spain in Rizal’s Time
- The onset of the 19th century signaled the twilight of Spain as a colonial power.
- Tax farming.
- Spain lost Paraguay (1811), Argentina (1816), Chile (1817), Columbia and Ecuador (1819), Venezuela (1822), Peru (1824), and Bolivia (1825).
- The decline of the Spanish empire started when Napoleon Bonaparte occupied/conquered Spain and installed a puppet ruler.
- Historically, Spanish aristocracy was able to push back France but the entry of liberal ideas started the tide of internal reforms toward liberal ideas (equality, liberty and fraternity).
- There was instability in Spain and this was inevitably manifested in the Philippines.
- The colony became a dumping ground for favorites and followers of politician in the mother country.
- Mercantilism (exploitation of colonies) to Laissez-faire (world commerce, trading).

The Philippines in Rizal’s Time
- Social system, before the entry of Spain, the Filipinos have their indigenous culture, their own government and their own religion.
- Spain changed all of that and imposed the religion of Roman Catholic.
- Filipinos lost their ancestral lands to the colonial masters by way of the encomienda system (feudalism, exploitation of the masses, unequal relationship between landlord and tenant).
- Limpieza de Sangre (purity of blood). Peninsulares (Spaniards born from Spain), Insulares (Philippine born – Spaniards). The Spanish Mestizos, the town ruling class, the native elites and the Chinese mestizos. At the bottom are the Indios (or masses), sometimes called “Barbados”,” bastos”,” sinverguenza” and “ignorante”.

Political System
- In the beginning up to 1821, the country was administered by the Viceroy of Mexico. When Mexico gained her independence in 1821, Spain governed the colony through the Ministries of Colonies.
- The Governor General appointed by the King, he was the King’s representative in governmental matters and was the Vice Royal Patron over religious affairs. He has the power to decide which law or royal decree to implement or disregard. He is a member of the Supreme Court as well the Commander-in-Chief. He has also the power to nominate priests to ecclesiastical positions and control of the finances of the mission.
- Alcalde Mayor (Civil Governor).
- Gobernadorcillos (Town Mayor).
- Cabeza de Barangay (Barangay Captains) whose main function was to collect taxes and tributes from the constituents.
- Guardia Civil (Civil Guards). A corps of native police led by Spanish officers.

Frailocracia
- Rule of the friars. They have become very influential and so powerful that even the Spanish civil authority including the Governor General is wary of them.
- This was because of the political instability in Spain leading to a constant replacement of officials in the colony while hierarchy of curates remains the same hence the influence and power.
- The friars became the supervisors of local elections.
- The administrators of schools.
- Chairman of the Board of Taxation, Health and Charity.
- Parish Registrar for census taking.
- Personal identification card.

Sources of weaknesses and abuses of the government
- Because of the vast responsibility resting on the shoulder of the Governor General, this made him ineffective and prejudiced.
- There is no check and balance.
- The practice of rewarding favorites and penalizing those who displeases him became the norm.
- Governor Generals were in the Philippines only for material advancement (re: Tax farming).
- The Governor General was appointed by royal appointment and the lower positions were either filled by the governor general himself or sold to the highest bidder. Thus, the avenue of ROI was given credence.
- The Alcalde Mayor by the edict of “indulto de comercio” buys the peoples product at a lower price and sells them back again at a higher premium in times of scarcity.
- They became the main proponent of overtaxation.
Education System
- The Friars inevitably occupied prominent positions in the educational system since the first schools were parochial schools with missionaries as teachers.
- Fear of god was overemphasized.
- Obedience to authorities.
- The indios were constantly reminded that they had inferior intelligence and that they were only fit for manual labor.
- Friars decide what to teach.
- Learning was based on memorization without comprehension.
- The teaching of the Spanish language was withheld because of the belief that such would energize the indios to undermine Spanish colonization.
- Ironically, the schools became an agent in suppressing human intellect and imaginative ideas than to liberate and cultivate them.
- Overemphasis on religion.
- Limited and irrelevant curriculum.
- Obsolete classroom facilities.
- Inadequate teaching materials.
- Absence of academic freedom.
- Racial prejudice against the Filipinos.

In these turbulent and challenging times, Jose Rizal was in the midst.
Opening of the Philippines to world commerce.
Influx of liberal ideas.
The Secularization Movement.
- The religious orders (Augustinians, Dominicans, Recollects and Franciscans) did not want to relinquish their influential positions to the Filipino priests (seculars).
- The Council of Trent ordered that parishes were to be administered by secular priests.
- The conflict now became a racial and a national conflict.

The Cavite Mutiny and the Execution of Gomburza.
(story of gomburza).

References:

1. Jose Rizal, A Hero's Life (2005) by Claudio V. Tabotabo and Roman D. Leaño, Jr.
2. Jose Rizal: The First Filipino (2004) by Maguigad et. al.