Rochelle Marie P.

Maestre BSCS

Rizal, Life Works and Writing

1. Cadiz constitution signifance

The Constitution gave Spanish citizenship to natives of the territories that had belonged to the Spanish
monarchy in both hemispheres. The Constitution of 1812 included Indigenous peoples of the Americas
to Spanish citizenship, but the acquisition of citizenship for any casta of Afro-American peoples of the
Americas was through naturalization excluding slaves. Spanish nationals were defined as all people born,
naturalized or permanently residing for more than ten years in Spanish territories. Voting rights were
granted to Spanish nationals whose ancestry originated from Spain or the territories of the Spanish
Empire. This had the effect of changing the legal status of the people not only in peninsular Spain but in
Spanish possessions overseas. In the latter case, not only people of Spanish ancestry but also indigenous
peoples as well were transformed from the subjects of an absolute monarch to the citizens of a nation
rooted in the doctrine of national, rather than royal, sovereignty. At the same time, the Constitution
recognized the civil rights of free blacks and mulatos but explicitly denied them automatic citizenship.
Furthermore, they were not to be counted for the purposes of establishing the number of
representatives a given province was to send to the Cortes. That had the effect of removing an
estimated six million people from the rolls in the overseas territories. In part, this arrangement was a
strategy by the peninsular deputies to achieve equality in the number of American and peninsular
deputies in the future Cortes, but it also served the interests of conservative Criollo representatives,
who wished to keep political power within a limited group of people.

2. Land ownership and Feudalism

The Filipinos in the 19th century had suffered from feudalistic and master slave relationship by the
Spaniards. Their social structure is ranked into three groups:

Highest class – the people that belong in this class include the Spaniards, peninsulares and the friars.
They have the power and authority to rule over the Filipinos. They enjoyed their positions and do what
they want.

Middle Class – the people that belongs into this class includes the natives, mestizos and the criollos.

Lowest class – this class includes the Filipinos only.

Political System and the Sources of Abuses in the Administrative System

The Spaniards ruled the Filipinos in the 19th century. The Filipinos became the Spaniard’s slave. The
Spaniards claimed their taxes and they worked under the power of the Spaniards. Sources of Abuses in
the Administrative System:
1. There was an appointment of officials with inferior qualifications, without dedication of duty and
moral strength to resist corruption for material advancement. Through the power and authority the
Spaniards possess, they collected and wasted the money of the Filipinos.

2. There were too complicated functions to the unions of the church and the state.

3. Manner of obtaining the position.

Through the power that the Spaniards possess, they had the right to appoint the different
positions. The appointment of positions is obtained by the highest bidder which is the Governor-general
of the country.

4. Term of office

Term of office or term in office is the length of time a person (usually a politician) serves in a
particular office is dependent on the desire of the King of the country.

5. Distance of the colony

The Spanish officials traveled to various places and the needs of the Philippines were ignored.
They did not put too much attention to the needs of the other people. There were inadequate
administrative supervisions, they were unable to face and solve the problems regarding to the
Philippines. There were also overlapping of powers and privileges of officials which made them
competitive.

6. Personal interest over the welfare of the State

7. They were corrupt during the 19th century and the Alcaldias/Alcalde is considered as the most
corrupt over the other corrupts. The Alcaldias/Alcalde includes the administrators, judges and military
commandants. They usually have P25/mo liberal allowances and privileges to take a certain percentage
of money from the total amount of taxes. There were also monopoly trades or business practices known
as indulto para comerciar.

Economic Development and the Rise of Filipino Nationalism

The country was opened to foreign trade at the end of the 18th century which resulted in the rapid rise
of foreign firms in Manila. This stimulated agricultural production and export of sugar, rice hemp and
tobacco. The number of families which prospered from foreign commerce and trade were able to send
their sons for an education in Europe. Filipinos who were educated abroad were able to absorb the
intellectual development in Europe.