JOSE RIZAL: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL ‘VIEW OF HISTORY AND NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE PHILIPPINES SETSUHO IKEHATA “The sewing of the hs of the Philipines rome the tandpeint of ‘he Fins i olay one ofthe major subjets of research Inthe itary fet country. "A penpecive on Pipe history fom the sandpoit Sf the Flpina people themselves and fe fom the bis of te elonlis, was Set ated in the en of the Propaganda Movement 1882-880 In this paper, 1 sbuld ket probe into the, proce othe formation of ‘he hora view of the Tino people taken by the rene thioker of the Propaganda Movement ery Jove Rim aod into the notion of the sional solar ofthe people of the Wllippoey je tei national Conloutes), which tat Kir! view bghtned irRopuerion ‘Today, throughout Southeast Asa, there reverberate loud cries for the resructng and rewriting of national histories They are cries to “rewrite our ‘own history from the perspective of independent peoples” in place of the “hinories of the colonies” penned by the colonialits and of the national hhimories colored by colonial ieology. ‘The Philippine, with which T dealin this paper, are no exception. There for almost two decades debate over the ‘esctiption of the national history, and eapecially of the history of the zevo- lution azound which the national history center, hax raged ack and forth in the academic and journalistic worlds: The debate has developed over and evolves around two points: 1) how to evaluate the perieds of colonial rule bby Spain America and Japan; and 2) who really bore the burden in the story of the liberation ofthe Filipino people—that is what stratum of people. "The frst point encompasses quite complex problems deriving from two facts, On the one hand, under a Spanish administration of folly three hundred years in which Church and State were united, che greater part of the islands wwas pervaded by Catholic, and even today the Catholic Church and Catholic religious groups constitute the major force in the worlds of religion, thought, scholarship, and education. On the other hand, ab a result of the forty odd years of American administration, English remains at the official language and the language of higher education, and even today large numbers of intellectuals are produced who have been reared in American culture and ‘with an American education The evaluation of the various colonial eras isJosé Rizal im complicated, therefore, because research and writmg on the history of the Filipino people (which includes a total colonial period of nearly four hundred ‘years) mint be carried forward in an academic and educational world in ‘which sytem of thought iaherted from colonial rule poses great influence. "The second point of the debate has concentrated on the continuing re- search of Teodoro A. Agoncilo which teats the Philippine revolution as “the revolt of the masiex"™ ‘The identification of a particular stratum as the Handard-bearer of the revolution, the central event of Philippine national history, not simply a historical problem but is also one closely connected to the similar problem of singling out a stratum at standard-bearer for both the present age of the building of » national sociey and the future a4 sell, Consequently, the debate on his point has assumed the character of a clas confrontation within che nation and, to a greater extent than the confit ‘over the first pot, has tended to develop as a poitical issue. However, this Second point of the debate, lke the fit, is by no means unrelated to surviving ‘colonial ideology. Coloniaist ideology not only survives in today’s Philippine faciety but reborn ia a new version, has been transformed into a philosophy that supports 9 given social dlas.® ‘Looking back on the research on Philippine national history by Filipinos, it sceme clear that thee works, rom the very bepinsing, had to come to 2 confrontation with colonialist ideology. Or rather, to put it-more precisely, it was in order to reveal the fllaciousness and ilegitimacy of the colonialist ideology that research by Filipinos on heir own national history was fet ‘undertaken, And the beginnings of that research took place in the period of the Propaganda Movement® that preceded the Philippine Revolution. Ever fince that time, the rewriting of Philippine history from the standp Filipino people has been a task of major importance for the one difficult o accomplish, In this paper T sould like, therefore, to try to trace the research in Philippine national history carsied out by José Rizal in the Propaganda 2 Teadaro A Agonillo, The Rea ofthe Mass: Te Sy of Baca nd Katies, ‘ayesnn Cty, Univer of te Phiippins, 186; and, Males The ra of he Pi. ‘Ba, Quezon iy, Univesity of the Philippines, 1900 ands forth 2 The debate onthe rewting of Philippi national tory at well as the esol Ickground af tbe dns, are ened in ny arte“ Pippi nacht no abut (ek ek” eH, XIV, 31-5. 2 The prod of the Reform Movement that priceled the Philpine Revaition i generally refered toi Philippine istry at the ea af the Propaganda Movement. ‘chal interpretations as to eke Bepinning sod ead of his peed ile, but bee, following ‘T.Ac Agel, i€ refers tothe period fom 52 t 108 (See Teodoro A. Agocilo, The Rl of he Mae, pp. 22-2) ‘The Projgaeda. Movement developed svith th Fling widens studying in Europe fm those dee it core: The sent, [Ey pom and tong expel the ee of Spanish adminieation, sed demanded freedom fd eaity forthe Wlpince However, 2 moversat which wat compared of Intellect od coud lft relorm actin within the mewore of the Spcish ‘sin, dlred draially from te later reolonary movement oft mame8 ‘The Developing Economies ‘Movement period, and to shed light on the construction of che first national history done from the perpective of the Filipino people and on the national conscioumness that developed through that history. 1 Jost Rizal, one of the major ideologues of the Propaganda Movement, tamed to the study of hie national history with twe principal objectives in rind. The frst was to reveal the evils of the colonial rule that enveloped Philippine society of the period and to find a solution for that evil in the future. ‘The second was to reveal to the inhabitants of the Philippines, gasp ing under the oppression of the colonialist, the history of their presconquest pas, of which the colonalits had Kept them in darkaess, and to summon in {hem pride in their traditional culture and a sense of solidarity as a natin, ‘The sesuls of Rizal's studies appeared in his commentary on Antonio de Morga’s Sues dels lar Filipinas (Historical Events of the Palippine Island) (Mexico, 1608), and such articles ax “Filipinas dentro de clen fos” (The Philippines a Century Hence), and “Sobre In indolencia de lot Fiipincs™ (The Indolence of the Fiipines. "in these writings Rizal fundamentally rejected the history of the Philipe pine idlande as portrayed by the colonialist Instead, he provided a new ew of Philippine history—that which I have called here the historical view of the Filipino people. Through his research on Philippine history in which he took such a point of view, Rival was able both to foresee the inevitability of national independence forthe inhabitants of the Philippines as well as to foster among them the development of the idea of solidarity as a natin, that 4s to sty, thelr national consciousness ‘Riza’ commencement of full scale reearch oa Philippine history dates from the beginning of his second period of life in Europe, ia London from [June of 1888. In London, Rizal paid daily visits to the British Museum, iranscribing and snaking comments on the aforementioned work of Antonio dde Morga. His commentary was published in Pars in 1990. Prior to its ‘publication however, works by Filipino intellectuals such as Pedro A. Pater, Pardo de Tavera, labelo de los Reyes y Florentino on Philippine preSpanish hhitory, folklore, customs, and languages had already been published None of these works was a ayrtematic study oriented toward composing a Filipino rational history by Filipinos, as was the ease with Rial which I detail below. However, one ean gather from he extent of these scholasly writings that 4+ Pedro Alejandro Patera, La dfs csi tal (The Ancient Tagalog Cie sation) Madr 1057; Pardo de Tavera, 5 Sort a a Img taal (The Sane Jn the Tagalog Language), Par 1857; Datelo de low Reyer Foenino, pina alc sie ae sey wi yes dl al (Te Phllppoes: varios Sides. on stnography, hitary aod cutoms of the country), Mail 157; Lar Vaya on spn de la enue. (The Vinyasa the Psa of the Conquest) io 1687; flre Pie. (Te PipineFellre.-), Manly 1069; ia 4 Fyne.» (History of the Philippines... Mail, 168%, Vol 1, eeJosé Rival 19 luring the Propaganda Movement peviod there was exceedingly great interest among Filipino intellectuals including. Rizal in the Pilippinet’ indigenous and preSpanis cultures In 1882, Rizal left Mania’ highest seat of leaming, the Universidad de Santo Tomas, to study abroad at the Universidad Central de Madrid, ‘There hae joined the Propaganda Movement. He majored in medicine for the fist ‘vo of his thee years at the university and in philosophy during. the third year, Thereafter he left Spain to live frst in Fraaze and then in Germany, seeking, while engaged in is medical practice, to absorb the culture of varius pers of Europe. The major awakening of his interest in Philippine national culture and history took place during his stay in Germany. In. Heidelberg, where he spent the first part of his say in Germany, Rizal heard about the prominent Austrian student of the Philippines, Dr. Femando Blumentrit, and he wrote that scholar in July of 1885, seeking tc make his acquaintance, After the opening of his correspondence with Blimentttt, Rizal’ linguist, ‘ethnological, and historical knowledge ofthe Filipine people increased rapidly. By November 1885 he had already moved to Berlin where he visited the Royal Library and the German Muscum, ete, ane. came across many rate works concerned with the Philippines. Among thes: were Antonio de Morge, Swcros de las hlar Flin, of which fe had been told by Blamentett® and Dr. Francisco Combes, 5. J, Historia de las lls de Mindoce, Jlo sus edger fies... (History of the islands of Mindanao, Jelo and thelr adjacent... (Madtid, 1657). In addition, through De. Blunentit’s introduction, Rizal became acquainted with such prominent European ethnologits, linguistic and geographers as Dre Jagor, Meyer, Virchow, and Wecker of Germany, Dr Kem of Holland, Dr. Rost of England, etc, and woe also accepted as a ‘member of Berlin's Ethnographic Society, Anthropclogical Society, and Geo- sraphical Society. Thereby, he came in contact with historical and ethnological Imaterials and scholarly works based on those materials, that had heretofore ‘been inaccessible to him. And thanks to that consact, Rizal became aware tha the history of the Filipino people and the -ndigenous culture of the Philippines had hitherto been unjustly disdained and lowed over by the Spaniards. ‘Te was at this time that Rizal came to feel strongly the secesity of rewriting the Philippine history that the bias of the colonialist had left une mentioned? However Rizal at the time did’ not yet posse sufficient aceu. mulated scholarly knowledge to meet that necessity nor did he have sufficient time. He appealed, therefore, to Blumentit, whom he revered, to take See eter fom Blumen to Riza, November 14, 166 in Baris de Jo Rel (Wirngs of Jou Ray Mls, Comin Ncioal el Crtenarn de Joe Ra, 186), Vat 2 (book 2 part 19) 28-26. All ofthe ltrs to and fom Rica and ‘he works of Ria, uoed tlow i this paper are Grom tam cated inthis work + "Sethe corepndence betmeenRisl and Blunt fen Novenbey 1696 trough ‘ebrury 168 (a Bn, Va? (book % part I) 7 Sey for example ert Blamenthty hy Vol. 299.6968180 The Developing Economies ‘on the task of rewriting Philippine history which he himself was unable to perform: “he Pipince should be gael v9 you Hf you would write « compete istry of far county focal pot of views T bebeve that you are the only be iho end do i Thave the courage fore but 1 dant Eaow enough. I have aot far no colonies, doer not covet our country, snd 40 You da’ have to aber Kiser {tu citer for the Plipiace or ee Speniardy aod You can Took upon th past a fniniy av say foreign obnereers You profes the Catholic religion, but you dot have Shion of fanatic, And you dont Have fo we the county Peel the Msoran Contempiner the pst T elev that you re the best qi forthe sk In the meantime, Rizal, during hi stay in Germany, while continuing to increase his knowledge of Filipino hitory, language, and culture, also published the fist and greatest novel of the Propaganda Movement, Nali Me Tanger in February of 1887 in Beelin. He had begun this rovel in 1996 while sil a atident at the Univenidad Central de Madrid. In it he painted a vivid portrait ofthe circumstances of the administration of the Philippines seeking thereby to awaken the Spanish authorities and the Flipinos themselves to the true facts of colonial administration. Hence while the novel was written in the form of a tale of the tragic love of the principal characters, Cristom Tacra and Maria Clala, what Rizal is really depicting is the cancer of Philippine society chat no one before him had dared to portay. The friars ‘who in the pious name of religion, mocked and ridiculed the people and ‘xtorted heavy taxes from them, are portrayed with special vigor. ‘Conjecture here on the relationship between this novel and Riza study of the history of the Filipino people draws our attention to the following points. Rizal seems to have considered two lines of action for reforming the ‘Suistion of the Philippines as he himself porrayed it He does not, of course ‘ate these in concrete terms in the novel but they can_be gleaned from its ‘overall contents Firs, he proposed to enlighten the Pilipino masses, who hhad been Kept in ignorance by the colonial powers and especially the friars through scientiie education liberated from the ideology of the religious orders, land to awaken the masies to an swarenes of dhemselves as thinking human beings, Second he proposed that since the unhappiness bore by the eatize Filipino people would not he reolved where individvals were isolated from ‘one another, it would be necesary to propagate “the idea of what is called 2 fatherland” in which all would join hands. Thus Rizal sights along to + Leser fom Ris to Musee, Api 1S 187, sky Vol 2 182 ‘The Bogs nandaton i rom the lah ete pulabed bythe Joo Rizal National Centenia + Recording 0 Riel leer of March 5, 1887, to Felix Renuecn Hidalgo, “Noll ‘Me Tages” wore en fom the Gap of St Lake, mean "ouch me aot”José Rizal tt lines: enlightenment of the mates, and the development of love for the fatherland And Rizal took i upon bimself as one of the chosen intellectuals mong the people of the Philippines to put these two lines into action, Herein ‘would seem to le one important reason why Rizal hereafter spent so much nergy and attention on research in che history of the Filipino people freed from the bias of the colonial powers. ‘Risal’s historical studies of the Filipino people which began in earnest ‘with his transcription of and commentary upon Morga’s work appear, at we Ihave seen above, to have had as their frst aim the exposure of the falsenes of the colonial ideology that enveloped the Philippines of the times. But there {% in adlton to this nimy a further poine that must be taken into account. ‘That is what he came to realize trough Kalamba incident which led to his being compelled to flee to Burope the second times® As a result of this incident, Rizal having lost faith in Spain and being acutely aware of the Timi of a reform movement that hoped for the goodvsil of Spain, perceived more clealy the positon of che Filipinos as an oppresed people and, with Sensitive perception of the problem of how the situation in the Philipines thould be reformed, turned to research on the histary of his people. Tmmediatly after his arrival in London in Juae of 1888, he wrote in a letter to his comrade of the Reform Movement, Mariano Ponce of his ardor to study for the sake of overthrowing the enemy. With regard tothe sewopaper, I appreciate very much your wtb but Yam alrendy trove ort eogaped to anage one Now Fam dering yl day and cight 1 eri wien for Tstauld ot wast to manage ny paid witout poseing ‘Soe knowledge abst he county, tary, goverment, Dae I tes to me {Sut we sll have fo Sghe peat deal and fewould be desaeto Bight an defeat {he coca Por tle purpooe Im salting ef te very sch beney of te Beth ‘Mtscum tae ike af whieh cannot be found anpwre ce, For thi tenon Tam {ng to rena Bee for along fie yet? * Here we find no longer the romantic nostalgia for things Filipino and the 1s ‘Toward heen of IBD, the Spanish goveramont fey inode determine wheter dae colton of rents of the ene of the religious orden balanced agains the amount bi taney, demanded eprom the pnd Gunilla) of Riza ore (own of Relat an eet of the Dorinican Order Believing this to be the Bist fp inthe efor of the cleat aiminatin, Riel took pen in hand and in 8 {eter sgeed by more thn ity ofthe towneenpe appealed 10 the office that despite fhe fet the hares incre yearly the townspeople were being Inctensiaglyimpov- ited by res In the sents Gat fir exceeded the erp ere ncaned by hy ‘he Demiscen Order tok the acto nur demandig shat the tenants be vite fom theese on the grounds of bviog made a audalent report. The townspeople CGiried tei ght onthe matter ar frat the Royal Auden, but low the cae {hecnd. The hoes ofthe tenants wes burnt to the ground by teops sent by the memment ce and they were friblyeveted fom hair Inde: Twentve of the [rncpt tovanpeoplincding Risa father andthe asters, were condemted Io eile a "Vater to Mariano Pos, Ocober 12, 888, in Buin, Val 2 (book 8 pact 19, pit The English flows she anlation ofthe Nasional Heres Commision.12 The Developing Economies tradition past found during his stay in Germany; the figure of Rizal the intellectual about to turn to reforming the stazus quo wich the lesons of sience {as his weapons has distinctly emerged.t2 The scentie approach found in his research on the national history and his position of attempting to apprehend that history not as fragmentary Inowledge of particular times and individual incidents but as a coherent whole extending from before the conquest to the Present, aeem to have developed in auch a manner, ‘This is also clearly manifested in the formation of the Association Tnter- national des Philippinite!® which wok as its objective “(lhe study of) the Philippines from the historic and scientife point of view.” In order toatain this objective, Rizal intended to gather individuals crmoemed with Philippine problems, and to convene an international conference during the period of the international exposition set in Pars in the summer of 1869. And at the same time he hoped that through the influence of such an intemational eon ference the Philippine reform movement would make some progres, however slight. As it turned out, the conference never materialize, but according to 4 plan of the proceedings which Rizal sent Dlumentit, ic had been decided that the following four themes would be discussed.%« 1L. The Philipines before the asival of the Spaniards (w 1521) IE, From the areval ofthe Spaniards tothe loas of Philippine autonomy land her incorporation in the Spanish nation (1521-1808) TIL From the incorporation of the Philippines in the Spanish mation to the Cavite Mutiny (1808-1872) TV. Linguistic ‘The fact that these four topics were planned as the themes of the incer- national conference attests more clearly than anything le to the fact that Rizal was attempting to apprehend the history of the Filipino nation system. atically and as a coherent whole. Such was the manner in which Rizal's posture toward the study of the national history developed, 1 Asoter igeraon of ths Sgure of Ris to be found in bis Lert the Flips 4: Daveloa (Lon Amigo de Harsona}eaty inthe year of 188 (Comins dl ano TW, In Barns Vol 2 pp. 275-276. Tis onclee when this aocltlon wat ford abd what sort of actives fatally engaged In The eal reference tthe anion In Zuri defo Bl i fond In Riel ler of Jaseary 3,109 to Buen, tm wich be was that “We have Fer ao Assocation Inernadonal de Flpinistas” Ia the covepondence hese Risa! and Blaenteit thereat, the two exchanged opinion 10 the slvr std rembersip of the anciaton. But on October 20, 188, Rial wrote Bent hat “tbe anocinon ata latent sate unt T ave fied my Monga” and not og -eterece tothe sation appears their. Content, It would seem that te hoctaton probably went out of extene, ue "See Lauer to Bumentety Janey 14, 189, ia Kin, Vol 2 Dok 2 par 2 ppedts480 In thie iter, Real sled Blamenctt totale the pow of Predent ofJosé Rival 133 o Rizal's commentary on Antonio de Morga's Swasor de las das Fines ‘which was begun in Jone of 188 was Gnally nished and ready for publica- ion in Paris by the end of the following year! Antonio de Morgs held the highest pos in the Spanish government office ia Manila from the end of the sixteenth century through the begianing of the sevenscenth, Swtsr de las Flas FFiligines records the history of the Spanish invasion and conquest fom the ‘expedition of Magallanes to Morga's own times relations between the Pailip~ pines and the various states of Asa the facts about the administration of the Tahabitants and the various traditional instiutios,flkways, and religions of the people, Tt was known among the intellectuals as the most reliable of the records of the carly conquerors. Chapter Eight, a ‘Narrative ofthe Philippine {Glands and their natives, their antiquity, customs and Government, both uring thie gentility (non-conversion) and after the Spaniards had conquered them} and other peculiarities,” was, due tothe richness and relative accuracy tf i contents considered one of the best documents for learning about pre= Conguest Fipino society. Te seems likly that Rizal decided to reprint and Innovate this wock becatse he too considered ito be the material best sulted te his purpoee of rewriting Philippine history. in his preface to the book, ented “To the Fiipinos” Rial stated his purpose in publithing the book as follows. ‘The quotation is a rather long tne, but in it we are able to pereaive clearly the reason why Rizal decided {o publish the book, or in other words, the reason why he took up the his. torleal study of the Filipino people. fe the Nal me igre 1 began he sketch of the prewnt wate of our Native Land The eect that my atempt produced pointed out 2 ay, before proveding 9 wold ‘be tee nacceaepltres bear your een the aecenty of et making known 0 ov the pas in ont that you may beable juge bet the pretend to means Wr dad envened ving Vives eeture Born at reed ia the ignorance of ut ‘Yencray ke simon al of you, wihout vice of soe to speak about what we {is wot tv snd I comnere necemay to Inve the testimony of ke trou Spaniard who governed the dennis of the Philippines n the begining of er few er and wieeued the lit siomeats of ou ant nana. I i hen the {Sui ofthe sivlinaon of our ater which th authori now evoking. Before Jour T tlt fly to you la words, witout changing o matlating them, eke book suctesds to awaken your concounen of car pay aad eficd fom Rizal informed Mariano Ponce i later dated. Novenber My 166, that the work ‘uid te expected fo be out within tome wees at te eorecton of the prot was fried He alo wote to Baldomero Rowar om Decor 2,180, that he bad sent four capes of te work to Lipa on tht day. Bat he cobphon of the publi eon tae work i dated 1050, se Led Hey Be} Staley’s Engl teanltion of Sows de tor Iie Pin a vey been publibed by the Hablaye Secety of Londen aod this ad bees recat into by Jo Zagora, (See the prtae to Rit elon of Seer lar iar Pip184 ‘The Developing Economies Your memory and to rely what Bat teen fied and slander then Ive mat Workin ain and with thi as a bay however small Se may bey we hl babe tesa the fates? Rital followed up his portrayal of the statur gua in Nai Me Tagore by eying to answer the needs of the people and 20 publishing this commentary. Tn ithe tried to resuscitate the preonquest past that had been erased from the memory of the inhabitants of the Philippines and thereby to rekindle their confidence in their traditional pst, in addition to attempting to establish basis for judging whether the three hundred years of Spanish role deserved to be thanked or cureed Te would appear that che descriptive contents of Morga’s work as well as [Riral's notes did serve to meet these objectives adequately. Rival’ notes were carefully executed and based on the records of many conquerors and mariners such as Pigafet, Chirino, and others, a8 well as on existing mores, customs, snd languages of che Philippines. His annotations on Chaper Bight ace particulary exhaustive. Through his commentary, Rizal strove 10 establish that the preconguest putt was one of which the Filipinos could be proud ; ‘hat their forebears were hard-working men of ovstending abilities and high moral standards: and that this rich heritage had been destroyed and lost in the course of the conquest. ‘The publication of this ook was the fist work responding to Rizal’s long-elt need for a history of whe Filipino people that was free of colonial ideology. With the book's publication, the previous “history ofthe Philippine Islands” approach, which lestimacized the disparage- rent of preconquest culture and interpreted the Spanish Conquest as 8 spiritual and moral blesing, was severely challenged. In learning of the pre- conquest Philippine society revealed in the bool, prople gxined a criterion for reevaluating the three hundsed years of Spanish role aswell ax the preseat state of the Philippines. The publication of Risal's commentary on Monga, ‘became the bass for che rewriting of Philippine hisary. But the commentary on Morga performed still another historical role ‘Through it was revealed the fact that prior to the Spanish conquest, there hhad already existed in the Philippines a common culture in which the inhab tants of the Philippines could take pride. ‘This enabled the people’ sl confidence in their pre-conquest past to be rekindled. Here, Rizal, who had spoken in Noli fe Ting of the need co propagate love for the fatherland, was able to invest his previously vaguely-staed notion of a fatherland, with fan objective component, namely a common taditional culture. ‘Thur an Jmportane bass for creating a sense of national solidarity among the inhab- tants of the Philippines was established, and the Gre step in the development of their national consciousness was taken. ‘On the basis of his commentary on Morga, and around the time of its publication, Rizal slo published a number of his most important treaties Which deserve to be called historic. The frst of these was his Massage 0 1 Buri, Val 6, pve The Eaplh follows the Engh ston of the Joe! RiaJosé Rizal 1s the Young Women of Malolos” (Sa Mga Kababayang Dalaga Sa Malolos)1= Written in February of 189, in Tagelog, in rerpome to the request of the fwomen of the town of Malolos in Bulacan. It ix noteworthy that in this ‘assage Rizal did not addres himself to Philippine bstory in particular, but father emphasized two points concerning his hopes for the women of the Philippines thereafter: he wished them to become 1) human beings who, rather than blindly obeying the deceitful teachings of the fears, thought fationally for thenwelves end discemed sruth} and 2) mothers who taught their children reverence for patriotism. "The monastic forces in the Philippines not only held administrative and Judicial powers over the inhabitants but also disseminated, with the authority af religion the ideology they had fashioned in order to preserve the colonial fegime. ‘The view of Philippine history held by the Spanish people, to, had been fashioned and diseminated by the monastic forces as such anideology of colonial rule. Consequently, Rizal's incisive erticism in the “Message” of the religious order policy of Keeping the Philippine inhabitants in ignorance land darkness, har the sxme objective a8 his commentary on Morga, namely, to clarify the facts of the history of the Filipino people am Following this “Mesiage” a treatise entitled “Filipinas dentro de cen ios” was published in four intallments in Le Solderidad, the organ of the Propaganda Movement, from September 1699 to February 1890. Here, Rizal, ‘who bad mounted the frst challenge to the colonists view of Philippine history in is commentary on Morga, took up himself the tak of ystemat ically developing the scientific and impartial history of the Philippines that he had been advocating. In cit treatise Rizal presoted a systemized. view of che Filipino people from the pate to the future, perspective gained from his work on Monge. ‘The contents of the article are quite rough, but it manifests 4 perspective explaining Philippine history from the standpoint of the inhabitants of the islands. His view of the national history has, here, finally developed a systematic image of the history of his people. T should like nov to introduce the substance of that article in some detail. ‘The article is divided into four parts. In the fet, Rizal deals with what cought perhaps to be called the spiritual history of the Filipines under the Spanish regime. Here Rica interprets the conquest by Spain and the covrse of coloniaation ae proces in which the Fipines came to lose their legitimate talture (or “national spirit” which he apparenuly tales as an interchangeable tert). And he takes the sprital awakening of the people that began in his ‘own times at a revival of confidence in the tradiional culture. This fist part of the article evaluates “the road traversed during three centuries" from 4 viewpoint diametrically oppored to that of the old hatory of the Philippine ‘slands approach, He depicts that rosd not at the procet of civilization of186 ‘The Developing Economies the Filipinos by Catholicism but as the process of the decline of the Filipino national spirit. And the efforts of the recendy awakened intellectuals he takes 1 portending rescue from this decline and fal, Part Two, which is premised upon the analyis in Part One and is regarded as the core of the article, investigates the possibilities latent in the Philippine status quo in order to forecast the future of the country ae his method of uncovering these posite Rizal engages in a comparative ex amination of the politcal situation (Siecén palta)—in other words, the strained relations beween rulers and ruled—of the preseat and that of three hhundred years previous sey at the beginning of Spanish rule "According to his analysis here, in the prewent as compared to three Ihundred years eatlis, Spanish rule has been strengthened and the threat of external eggresion has lesened, but the relations between the Filipinos and the Spanish have grown hostile and unstable in a marked degree. Three centuties before, deep-rooted tetorial hostilities ameng the Fiipines them telves had inhibited the spead of national hostility toward the Spaniards. In ‘addition, in chose days there was eelatvely Inte damage done by the colonial Authorities o the selfeeapest of the Filipinos; the religious orders were on the sde of the inhabitants and. protested vehement against any abuses of power by the vecular rulers: and the conduct of the caloaial officals was subject to stringent inspection. In the present, however, the Filipinos through the oppression that bore equally on them all, began to be conscious of their common misfortune and their commen anguish, compared to which the territorial hectilties that had once existed among them were but trifling matters. The religious orders which had once been on the inhabitant’ side had themselves become abusers of power; the inspection of colonial officials (residia) had disappeared; and ‘while the obligations and taxes of the Inhabitants grew heavier and heavier, they were deprived ll the more of thei rights and freedom. ‘The Filipinos had now come to perceive the Spaniards as exploiters and executioners and lack o° loyalty to. the Spanish hhad become conspicuous. If rich circumstances persisted, a clash between the Spaniards and the Filipinos would be inevitable. Moreover, what was important was that the vibience foreseen would be Grastically different from any violence that had eccurred in the preceeding three hundred years Previous violence had always been based on personal, tervtoral interest rather than on an overall national necesity, and. hence had always failed utterly, But the vilence Rizal predicts was envisioned as an uprising of the entice people. Aa he indicates in part One, the activities fof the aromed intellectuals in the islands and abroad were bringing about a ‘broad avakening of national spirit among the Filipinos, and their * common ‘misfortune and “common abasement” transcending the bounds of regionalima were beginning to link together all the people of the islands. “Hence the futate of the Philippines would likely be either one in which the Filipinos ‘would, obtaining grestr freedom than at present, remain under Spanish rule for elie one in which they would declare’ independence at the cost of theirJosé Rizal 187 ‘own bloodshed. But Rizal marked the end of Part Two with a remark that, f2iven that no one desires auch a tragic outcome at outright war, he would Inquire into how a peaceful development, without loss to either ‘country of ite righ, interests, or prestige might be achieved with the Philippines remain- Ing under the Spanish flag. ‘Thay in Pare Three, Rizal follows up his remark at the end of Part Two, and singles out the following reforms as neceasry fer maintaining che Philip- pines in peace under the Spanish fag: 1) the recognition of freedom of the press; 2) the seating of Filipino representatives in the Spanish Cortes; 9) ferutment to government posts by competitive examinations in which Piip- nor have the opportunity to participate, etc. ‘in Part Four, Rizal takes @ world historical view in his consideration, and asserts the inevitability of the independence ofthe colonial areas on the {rounds that there has been no inttance in history of one people’ having Permanently governed another. In the ease of the Philippines, he says? that if her people are not ante by the Spaleh nation, {the roles do ‘ot tke pose of the eit of ber fobaitanty, (exible laws ad snere and Iie refoae dot mae theo Ferg that they Blog 0 itn’ sae or Bach [pore not fue inform vor homogenous sical and plea may, whichis aot Troubled by cppoing tendecee and aagoit fling and iteret he Plipioes ne dy wl declare eral ier and niaabl dependent. 20 Rial did not think that these negative conditions would materialize in the future hence, it would seem that he is advocating the various reforms out- lined in Part Three aa the reforms of a transitional pesiod that would con- tribute to the peaceful, steady progress of the aequiition af independence ‘Continuing his analysis Rizal proceeds to conjecture as t whether, were the Philippines to deelaze independence, she might not once sore fall into the hands of another of the great powers. Here, while concluding that the various European powers and Japan have cei hands fall with ruling the Colonies they already poses and hence pose no threat to the Philippines he points out that America, having a deep interest inthe Pacific and not having {taken part in the partitioning of Afves, poses a rel threat indeed, “Pilipinas dentro de cien afee” is no mere outlne without substance, A. perusal of the article leaves us amazed at Rizal's superb powers of analysis land ability to foresee the future. However, in addition, what really deserves ‘our primary attention is that the image of Philippine history portrayed here ihe first which can properly be called an histoseal view of the Fliping ‘pople—difers completely in viewpoint and content from that of the hitherto dominant approach to the history of the Philippine Tslands which discussed fat great length the course of conversion to Catholider, the struggles between the colonial officials and the religious orders and between the archbishops and the orders the foreign expeditions of the colonial government, and the war with the’ Moros, ete. Tn "Filipinas dentro de cien afios” the three we iy Val 7, p ISR. All ofthe Ragish eatalaon rom vue 7 etd heeoer ‘alow the trans ofthe Nesonal Heros Comin188 The Developing Economies hundred years of the Spanith regime are grasped, evaluated and rewritten, not from the side of the colonialist but from that of the Filipina. Here too the future of the Philipines is foreseen not in terms of the possibilities hoped for by the colonialist, but in terme of thove which might be realized by actions on the part of the Filipinos themselves, "Thus the independence of the Filipino nation is forecast in terms of the inevitable trend of world history. But Rizal continues as ever to search for peaceful means to achieve independence and considers violent revolution a last resore to be employed only when there remaia no other altematives. “Filipinas dentro de cien afos” not only served a6 the fist milestone in the evelopment of the historical view of the Filipino people but also was of the highest significance for the development of the national consciousness of the Filipinos as well. Ar we have already wen in his commentary oa Morga Rizal established, as an objective basis for the mse of solidarity of the inhabitants of the Philippines, che existence of their common eulture in the preSpanish era. However, in this article, with heightened perception he Clarifies the opportunity for the avtonomour development of the sense of rational solidarity in che mind of the people. In Part One he deseribes the Ciroumetances in which the people, teacting against the oppression of the ‘olonalias, finally began to awaken spiritually, as folows: ‘he spr of the people dat allow il tobe thas tiated and Sought ha Ten akon ina ow fear only i Barn, bowever, at spreading srely and Seray thanks te aber aod stupid wicks af eel lass Yo desoy noble and everest ‘When he refers here to the people's spiitual awakening he refers to national piri, And thie national sprit was the sense of solidarity created by the ftalization of a common misfortone and a common aasoment. In Part Two, ial wates that "Today there iss Scion which id not exist Before. ‘The maton! spit (l epitsa dels nan) ins awaltoed, ad commen mfotane aod a common aburnent ae eed al the naan of the and Philippine independence he foresees as an unavoidable contequence of the Dargeoning of this national sptit. In other words Rizal equates national conscioummess with the selfdeveloped sense of solidarity as an oppresed people. [He thus develops national consciousness from a concept based on a common past to a concept rejecting colonial rule. Ww Finally, I should like to touch on another representative and historical work of Rizal, Sobre le Inalnia de ne Fiipigs2®” Here Rizal places under Bit, Val 7, p88. Garvie in installments in La Solaridd om July 17, July 31, August 15, August 31, sand September 15,150. y Vol. 7, pp. 227-26)José Rizal 19 bhitorical scrutiny the contention that the “Pilipmos are indolent,” which was fone of the major views of the colonialist, The colenialiss had identiied the indolence of the Filipinos as the cause ofthe stagnancy and backwardness of Philippine society. Rizal rebutted this with the following argument. Due to the difference in climates it is of course imposible to expect from the Filipinos the same degree of diligence as that found in Buropean societies But the Filipino? indolent attude toward life to be sen today is not some- ‘thing with which they were born but rather the realt of chree hundred years bf colonial rule which sled their will to work and entrepreneurial dive, forcing a stagnant and backward life on them, As i clear in the records of the conquerors the pre-conquest inhabitants of the Philippines bummed with ‘pasion for work ‘That this has disappeared today is the result of the following colonial polices: 1) the prohibition of dealings with other Asian countries except China 2) the detine in coastal wade by the pirates; 5) straints on the freedom of agricultural and businea activities; 4) the decrease jn the rewards of labor due to the exploitation by the enomendeos:% 5) the ‘monopoly of trade and profie by he Alealdes Mayores;® 6) the lazy manner land gombling that the Spaniards brought with them; 7) various religious Fituals; 8) the attitude that everything isto be resolved by the will of God; 9) the governments cool indiference toward the promotion of agriculture and trade: I0) the clorire of Spanish markets to Philippine goods; 11) the con- fiseation of good land by the religious ondere; 12) the treatment of the Filipinos J a manner demeaning to their intelligence; 18) the lack of education in the proper sense of the word: [4) the deprivation of the Fipinoe selfrespect and the lows therefore of their moral stamina, etc. Rizal, in painstakingly identifying those colonia. policies that had driven the Filipinos to a life of reigned Indolence, mounted a trenchant counter~ Attack on the notion thatthe backwardness and staguancy of Philippine society ‘yas the inherent fate of the Philippines The backwardness and the stagnancy ‘ere really the realts of colonial rule. Hence, throughout his article, the fusgeston is that in order to overcome these ficulties, it is necesary to ‘overcome colonial rule itell Rizal, however, did not onesidedly lay the blame for these evils on the Spaniards, but placed it as well on the Filipinos who had tacitly accepted Spanish mivule. Ip his view, that. such misrule twas permitted to operate without hindrance was due to the Philippine inhab= tant lack of a national sentiment around which to rally agains it. Moreover, he Ick of atonal sentiment enininto nina) reeds another eit which i te scarey of any oppoidon lo the Reaura that are Pej to Ue 2+ In the ently pero ofthe Spanish ecninason of the Phlippives, che Spa ing astute (momen) 4 ven number of Sebabitint of the conquered areas to the ‘ange of each of hee conquerors and close who took par in and made out {Sending contiuton to the enquepucation of im Batlle At these tie, he {raned them the sigh of lrg tibute and enored abr on the ait. Those ‘iho were grated thee povers were called Bini, “Goverment had of « Province190 ‘The Developing Economies people and the abuoce of any inkintve that will rdousd to thie welfare. A'man {nthe Plipioe is nly am inuividul; be is ot a member of «nation He is Alepived of the right of encaton aod therfore be a weak and inert In order for the Filipinos to overcome the stagnancy and backwardness that Inad been forced upon them, and to promote their own welfare, it would be necesary for them to rally in resistance to the colonial polices at fault. So Jong as the Filipinos remained isolated individuals, they would be weak and Jncapable of liberation from their stagnant lives 1 this article, Rizal's concept of national consioumess has made a note- ‘worthy advance, ‘National consciousness has here come to be emphasized as the sprit of a common struggle seking the promotica of a common welfare "This is a concept one sep removed from the tational conaciousnes: he stresed in “Pilipinas dentro de cien aos” ie, the awarenes af a common misfortane and a common abasement. Ia being) conceived at she spirit of common struggle aimed at a common objective, Rizals concept of national consciour nes comes for the fist time to pout an orientation toward the future and toward the power of autonomous action, and estabihes itelf as a concept rejecting colonial rule. Bat Rizal didnot believe that this national conscious nes of a struggle against the colonial policies had as yet spread among the Flipins, Te was something that had only jut begun to be felt among @ small number of people, something that really had to be made to penetrate Widely hereafter. Tn “Como se gobemnan las Filipinas” (How the Phiippines are Governed)? Rizal spoke as fllows about the circumstances in which @ national conscious ness is lacking among the people and about the necenity ofits development The national spit (spite nacional) begin tower ie Set cir formes only taly or ten lings exe, arly tht of te county so that pe supit meat provoted any eeeng pote frm pubic opinion, apt aca where slates are ‘ore or le drety burt" Concering hs counery evry Pilpina thinks tin way Tet ber steer af alone, sve ben, protert sre; Fim nt going 10 = foge, Fo not the ane to meting; ve enoush withany ome aa my aon, snd my whim Lee ots pull out the chotaut fom the fie afterward we tall (Rtit Flpince do not stm to Inow thatthe iumph ithe ed of suey tat sy ithe Bower of many suerings ad pevatins and Sat relemprion presupposes ‘arydont and sseien3| ‘A statement 10 a similar effet may be found in his leer of January 7, 1891 to Father Vincent Gareia.2> v It is important to ask what in lueice the national view of history and the national consciousness developed by Rizal had on the subsequent liberation Publabed in Le Satdariad, No, 45 (December 15, 1890) i GL, Vo. 7, pp. 283-29. ‘i, VoL. 2, (bok 3, pare 39, pp. coerJosé Rizal ist ‘of the Filipino. First, in this regard we must touch upon the Liga Filipina (Philippine League) which Rizal himielf founded Disappointed with the Propaganda Movement, which was safe ia Europe far fom the homeland, Risa, after publishing his second novel, I Flibuseim, in Ghent in Sep- tember 1891, left Europe for Hong Kong. And in June of the next yea ‘without reflecting on his own personal safety, he once again set foot on Philippine soi, where he embarked on the formation of a civic society, the ‘Liga Filipina. ‘The Ligo, inatagurated on the night of July 3, had the folow- ing fve objectives; Ist—To unite the whole Archipelago into one compact, vigorous, and homogeneous body. 2nd-—Mutual protection in ease of trouble and need. Srd—Defense against every violence and injustice. 4sth—-Development of education, agriculture, and commerce. Sth—Seudy and implementation of reform” [As the outstanding work of Prof. Cemr A. Majal covers the subject T shall heve omit a description of the historical character and vole of the Liga, ‘ave to note that, az Prof. Majul points out, the fermation of the Ligs, with its aim of creating » base for developing a national society that would ‘ultimately replace colonial society, vas the direct consequence of Rizal's evelopment and intensfeation of national consciousness "A few days after the formation of the Liga, Rizal was arrested on a charge of treavon and exiled to Dapitan iland. And the Liga, with the loss ofits nucleus distolved almost immediately. However, as early as July 7 a Secret revolutionaly society known az Katipunan was founded by Bonifacio fand several other tembers of the Liga, and the sage was set for a Philippine ‘Revolution aimed at the independence of the nation. The notion of national solidarity developed by Rizal provided the intelleetal support for a revolu tionary movement secking. national independence. And in that revolution, Rizal's concept of national consciousness was transformed into realty among his people. "Another of Rizal's roles was, through the national view of history he created, to have provided those who sought revolution with a frm confidence In the future. For example, in the ination rite of the Katipunan, each neophyte was asked the following three questions: “First, what was the con dition of the Philippines in early times? Second, what isthe condition today ? ‘Third, what will be the condition in the future?" ‘The neophyte was coune selled in advance by his sponsor to reply as follow oom the Consitaton of the LigeFipna, iy Vol 7, pp. 308-200. Moar A Maja, ti sad se Pipe Renin, Quesoa iy, University of the ‘hlippaes 1550, expacilly Chapter 4, "La Liga Pipi! Ril, oof, and Mabii™ In addon by the sume thor “A Grique of Rial Coneee of Tipino Nation.” fn Leopalds ¥, Yaber ed Jou a! bee Cnty, Quenon City, Univers of the Poliprae, 1963. Tendon AL Agcy oh ly RAB,i ‘The Developing Economies that the Flipinos atthe coming of he Spaninde tad thir ova cvintion and pola liter, ter ovn eign td alphabet and ad commercial and diplomatic Invsaure withthe satis of As Ia word, that che Tpinas were appy and Independent As to th seand question, the neophyte anmers that the tolled r= ‘onary have done nthng to cies te Flip ance the intro of the fae 1 incompatible withthe citation of the county they bad Jone nating sre ‘han tach the forme of Cathe ini shallow tapcgs Mlading. the Mlipines lth te appratn of magaiont religious fentvale whith cot thn 40 ruth sad Tevet only the fare “The third queton i anowered by anyog that with fh courage, and. eosancy, al the bruaiien aod lniutes of toe Spanish wuthees trl be remedied in tine and freedom wil be redeeme20 ‘That each of these questions and answers is based cn the view of national history ereated by Rizal should be clear from what has been said above. Jost Rizal's career was dedicated to confronting the colonial ideology and eveloping & sytem of thought that aimed at the liberation of the nation, ‘The creation of the historial view of Filipino people and of national con: sciousness that have been treated in this paper were among the central activi ties in that career. ei, pt,