19th Century in Rizal’s Context
AREAS OF ADVANTAGES
CONCERN
 The opening of the
Suez Canal facilitated
Economic the importation of
books, magazines and
newspapers
 The growth of an
export economy in 19th
century brought
increasing prosperity to
the Filipino middle and
upper classes that
were in a position to
profit by it, as well as
to the Western.
 Modernization was
primarily an economic
goal, and many of
those who were deeply
interested in
progressive economic
measures sought them
for the profit they
themselves would
derive.
 Created a concept of
socially recognized
debt “utang” which is
still indeed eminent in
our country.
 Convergence of
capitalism
 During the 19th century
several developments
occurred that solidify
the land tenure
system, and aroused
antagonism over its
injustices and
inequalities
DISADVANTAGES
 The tribute or “buwis”
was collected from the
natives both in specie
(gold or money) and
kind (e.g. rice, cloth,
chicken, coconut oil,
abaca, etc.).
 Like the tribute, the
encomienda system is
one of the major
sources of discontent of
the natives against the
Spanish rule. This
system has empowered
the Spanish
encomiendero to collect
tribute or taxes
according to his whim or
desire. Because there
was no systematic
taxation system in the
colony, the
encomiendero has the
option to collect the
tribute in gold, cash, or
kind.
 Polo or forced labor is
another Spanish that
had created discontent
among the indios during
the Spanish times.
 During Rizal’s times, the
Spanish friars belonging
to different religious
orders were the richest
landlords, for they
owned the best
haciendas (agricultural
lands) in the Philippines
 Most Filipino landed
peasants became mere
tenants in their own
lands
 Political  The first-hand
experience of what it is
 Spanish civil officials in
the colony were corrupt
to be liberal and immoral.
(democracy) came
from the role modeling  In the last decades of
of the first liberal the 19th century, the
governor general in the Spanish friars were so
Philippines—Governor influential and powerful
General Carlos Ma. that they practically
Carlos Dela Torre ruled the whole
archipelago.

 Open the eyes of the  Had an inhuman justice

Filipinos to fight what is system that for
right against the instance: lead to the
abusive Spanish unjust execution of
administration GOMBURZA

 Rise of rebellion to fight

and degrade the
Spanish government.
That’s why the
government keeps
executing the rebels.

 The instability of
colonial administration
in Spain adversely
affected Philippine
affairs because it
brought about frequent
periodic shifts in
colonial policies and
periodic rigodon of
colonial officials

 The human rights

denied to Filipinos

 Wealth, social prestige,

and color of skin were
preponderant factors in
winning a case in court.

 Rizal himself witnessed

the discrimination of
how the guardia civil
(either Filipino or
insulares) treated the
Filipinos

 The Filipinos were  Poor Filipinos could not

educated by the afford to go to school
Educational Jesuits
 There were not enough
 Establishment of the schools built
 Normal School for
male teachers under  Schools were often
the supervision of the poorly equipped, lacking
Jesuits desks, chairs, and
writing materials
 The growth of
education was
producing an ilustrado
class

 In this educational
system, it imparted to
the students the
humanistic approach of
education in literature,
science, and
philosophy, in
inculcating principles of
human dignity and
justice and the equality
of all men.

 Access to the
education by the
Filipinos was later
liberalized through the
enactment of the
Educational Decree

 Provided for the

establishment of at
least one primary
school for boys and
girls in each town
under the responsibility
of the municipal
governnment

 The Spanish schools

started accepting
Filipino students

 The reliance on human  Friars are bad, abusive

Religious reason and science
rather on dogmas of
the Catholic Church
has its roots in the
intellectual movement
called The
Enlightenment.  Friars harassed and
and immoral as they
were became a source
cause of people’s
disenchantment with the
Spanish rule.
raped Filipino women
  To prove that indios  Racial discrimination is
were not inferior a form of social
Socio-Cultural people, some talented exclusion where people
and intelligent Filipinos are prevented from
excelled in their having access to public
chosen fields. Juan goods by virtue of their
Luna excelled in physical traits.
painting. Fr. Jose
Burgos in Theology  Upper or middle classes
and Canon Law. Jose can afford to go abroad
Rizal, by surpassing like the case of Rizal.
the Spanish writers in
literary contests and  Lower class Filipinos
winning fame as a treat as slaves
physician, man-of-
letters, scholar, and a  Social ranking was
scientist, proved that a created in our society
brown man could be as
great or even greater  Higher positions in
than a white man government were
opened only to pure-
 The Chinese mestizo blooded Spaniards
was an active agent of
hispanization and the  The Filipinos are so
leading force in demoralized (hesitant)
creating a Filipino to fight because their
culture characteristic friar teachers instill
now of Manila and the them with fear.
larger towns

Remarks: (Any notes that tells you about its contribution in understanding Philippine
History)

Preparation # 4

Angelo C. Bendal

BSME-1A

Life and Works of Rizal