IDEALS OF

DR. JOSE RIZAL

THE PRINCIPLES AND THOUGHTS OF
DR. JOSE RIZAL
1 2 3
Political Thoughts Social and Economic Care for Education and
Thoughts Freedom

4 5
Progress of the Economy Vices and Other
by means of Good Works Misdeeds
and Thoughts

6 7
Social Movement for the Religious Thoughts
progress of the Nation
 01
POLITICAL THOUGHTS
 1.The foundation of
government is justice
and reason.

El Filibusterismo

“Another cornerstone of the

foundation of the governments
is not prestige for the ruler or
terrorism and oppression for
the people but justice and
reason."
 2. The people expect from the
government the fundamental
functions of the government
El Filibusterismo

“Sleep in peace, ill-starred daughter of my hapless fatherland!

Bury in the grave the enchantments of youth, faded in their
prime! When a people cannot offer its daughters a tranquil
home under the protection of sacred liberty, when a man can
only leave to his widow blushes, tears to his mother, and
slavery to his children, you do well to condemn yourself to
perpetual chastity, stifling within you the germ of a future
generation accursed! Well for you that you have not to
shudder in your grave, hearing the cries of those who groan in
darkness, of those who feel that they have wings and yet are
fettered, of those who are stifled from lack of liberty! … Happy
she who dies lamented, she who leaves in the heart that loves
her a pure picture, a sacred remembrance, unspotted by the
base passions engendered by the years!”
5. Knowledge is the root
of the right of
revolution.

El Filibusterismo

“. . . Patriotism can be a crime in the

oppressors because then the spoliation will be
baptized with a beautiful name: but for the
perfection that humanity could have,
patriotism will always be a virtue in the
oppressed because it will signify for all times
love for justice, for liberty , for the dignity,
itself, of one’s nation.”
 02
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
THOUGHTS
1. Poverty does not stop development.
The Philippines a Century Hence

"Wealth brings with it refinement and the spirit of preservation, while

poverty inspires adventurous ideas, the desire to change things, little
attachment to life, and the like"
2. Necessity to live is a strong motive of action.
Noli Me Tangere

"A man may do anything , even break laws, do unwarranted and unsocial things,
pretend anything and even accept that his actions are wrong- never complain about
them and recognize justice in the charge against them- but only to protest in the end
“but it is necessary to live”
 3. The consequence of the above nature of society is the
creation of false ideal.
Indolence of the Filipinos

“Attending masses, believing what he is told, paying what is demanded of him, paying and forever paying;
working, suffering in silence without desiring anything, without aspiring to know or even to understand Spanish,
without separating from his carabao as the priests shamelessly say, without protesting against injustice, against
any arbitrary actions, against any assault, against any insult; that is, not to have heart, brain or spirit…..”
 4. Wealth may not be a poison but something to serve the end of a
medicine, it must not be valued more than an instrument in social
adaptation.

Noli Me Tangere

“Men ought to learn to foster justice, a necessary thing in life so as not to enslave
himself to his desires and greeds.”
 03
CARE FOR EDUCATION
AND FREEDOM
1. The aim of education is the development
of the people’s mentality.

Instruction
• ”education elevates the country to the highest seat of the
immortal dazzling glory“
• "education is the greatest benefactor of human beings“
• "through it, the arts and sciences, which crown men with honor
are born“
• "it domesticates barbarous nations and make champions of
savages“
• "it is the fountain of crystalline virtue which elevates mortal
beings to the height of the gods“
2. The real aim of education is not in
QUANTITY but in QUALITY
El Filibusterismo
"...and if they do abound in quantity, perhaps they are deficient in
quality. Since the young men can't be prevented from studying, and
no other professions are open to us, why let them waste their time
and effort? And if the instruction, deficient as it is, does not keep many
from becoming lawyers and doctors, if we must finally have them, why
not have good ones? After all, even if the sole wish is to make the
country a country of farmers and laborers, and condemn in it all
intellectual activity, I don't see any evil in enlightening those same
farmers and laborers, in giving them at least an education that will aid
them in perfecting themselves and in perfecting their work, in placing
them in a condition to understand many things of which they are at
present ignorant."
 3. The most commendable effect of education is
the enabling of the individual to see many things
in an aspect different from what he used to have

• See error from a narrow truth

• See truth in many things which seemed erroneous

 4. Education enables individuals to
become aware of their rights and for
freedom
• Education aims at the development of self-
consciousness of the individual as well as the
consciousness that he is part of a great whole

Manifesto

“I have given proofs as one who most wants liberties

for our country and I continue wanting them. But I
put as a premise the education of the people so that
through education and work, they might have a
personality of their own and make themselves
worthy of liberties. In my writings I have
recommended study and civic virtues, without which
redemption is impossible.”
5. The home is recognized as
a great social force

The home can best serve the interest of

enlightenment
 04
PROGRESS IN THE ECONOMY
BY MEANS OF GOOD WORKS
AND THOUGHTS
1. A Filipino must be a good man and citizen for his
country

Letter to Mariano Ponce, London, June 27, 1888

"The principal thing that should be demanded from a Filipino of our

generation is not to be a literary man but to be a good man, a good citizen
who will keep his country to progress with his head, his heart, and if need be
with his arms. "
2. We must focus our motive to the welfare of our
country

Speech at the Café Habanero, December 31, 1891

● "The good and welfare of our country is our motive. “

● " The individual should give way to the welfare of the society."
3. Progress through intellectual development

Letter to Marcelo H. del Pilar, Brussels, April 4, 1890

"I am assiduously studying the happenings in our country. I believe that

nothing can redeem us except our brains.“
4. We must distinguish ourselves as a nation with
its own identity

El Filibusterismo

● "Distinguish yourselves then by revealing yourselves in your own character,

try to lay the foundations of the Philippine fatherland!“

Letter to Dr. Ferdinand Bluementritt

● "I would stimulate these Philippine studies which are like the nosce te
ipsum( know thyself) that gives the true concept of one's self and drives
nations to do great things."
 05
RIZAL'S THOUGHTS ON
VICES AND OTHER
MISDEEDS
 1. The Filipinos must be honorable not
despicable

Rizal’s wish in the establishment of La Liga Filipina

"I would like the Filipino people to become worthy, noble, honorable,
for a people who makes itself despicable for its cowardice or vices
exposes itself to abuses and vexation."
 2. Vices are widely accepted and
tolerated
El Filibusterismo

• "In this world, compliance with vice is rewarded better than the fulfillment
of duty. “

• “It’s more immoral that vice has good buildings and learning none. Let’s be
practical, gentlemen, and not be carried away by sentiment. In politics
there’s nothing worse than sentiment. While from humane considerations
we forbid the cultivation of opium in our colonies, we tolerate the smoking
of it, and the result is that we do not combat the vice but impoverish
ourselves.”
3. Removing ignorance from our minds will
help us become free from vices

El Filibusterismo

"The vices, those powerful children of idleness, escaped from us as

soon as serious problems occupied our minds."
 4. Vices and crime will not bring freedom

El Filibusterismo

“The glory of saving a country is not for him who has contributed to its ruin.
You have believed that what crime and iniquity have defiled and deformed,
another crime and another iniquity can purify and redeem. Wrong! Hate never
produces anything but monsters and crime criminals! Love alone realizes
wonderful works, virtue alone can save! No, if our country has ever to be free,
it will not be through vice and crime, it will not be so by corrupting its sons,
deceiving some and bribing others, no! Redemption presupposes virtue, virtue
sacrifice, and sacrifice love!”
 06
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS FOR
THE PROGRESS OF THE
NATION
 1. He repudiated the Philippine
Revolution at the time.

Letter to Bluementritt

• "A peaceful struggle shall always be a dream, for Spain will

never learn the lesson of her South American colonies. Spain
cannot learn what England and the United States have
learned. But, under the present circumstances, we do not
want separation from Spain. All that we ask is greater
attention, better education, better government [officials],
one or two representatives [in parliament], and greater
security for persons and our properties."
 2. He ought only autonomy – freedom and not
independence, since he believed a country could
be independent without being free.

Letter to Blumentritt
"If to make my country happy I had to act vilely, I would refuse
to do so because I am sure that what is built in sand will
collapse sooner or later…“

Letter to M.H. del Pilar

"I am assiduously studying the events in our country. I believe
that only intelligence can redeem us, in the material and in the
spiritual, I still persist in this belief“

Father Florentino (Noli Me Tangere)

"What is independence if the slaves of today will be the tyrants
of tomorrow? "
 3. For Rizal, the use of force or
freedom by means of a revolt was
to be used only as a last resort.

Letter to Bluementritt

“I assure you that I have no desire to take part in conspiracies

which seem to me very premature and risky. But if the
government drives us to the brink, that is to say, when no other
hope remains but seek our destruction in war, when the
Filipinos would prefer to die rather than endure their misery
any longer, then I will also become a partisan of violent means.
The choice of peace or destruction is in the hands of Spain,
because it is a clear fact, known to all, that we are patient,
excessively patient and peaceful, mild, unfeeling, etc. But
everything ends in this life, there is nothing eternal in the world
 07
RELIGIOUS THOUGHTS
1. The Church is not the remedy to all evils.

Letter to Father Pastells, April 4, 1893

“ You will tell me that all these evils exist because they have been separated from
the church, but when has the latter dominated? What has not had these evils?
Perhaps, in the middle ages, when all Europe was a field of Agramente
(Battlefields)? In the first three centuries when the Church was in the catacombs
groaning like a prisoner and had no power? Then, yes, was peace; but she never
had it either; it was not due to her, for she did not decree it."
2.Religious Ceremonies are not efficacious
of physical results.

Rizal’s letter to the Malolos Women

“even if individuals makes into scapulars all the rugs of the earth, wears as beads
all the woods of the forest, makes into chords the hides of all the animals, and all
these put into crisscross and let the priests in the world murmur and sprinkle all
the water of the oceans, the evil self cannot be cleansed; without repentance there
is no forgiveness.”
4. The church had a bad effect upon the people
because of the friar’s wrong use of authority.

Noli Me Tangere

"Their interest was nothing but the safety of the sacred crops."