Mindanao State University

College of Social Sciences and Humanities

● Marawi City 9700, Philippines

HISTORY DEPARTMENT

GEC 109- LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL

MODULE ( ): The Nineteenth Century Philippine Economy, Society, and the Chinese Mestizos
Learning Objectives

1. Locate Rizal’s life in the Philippines within the wider context of the development in the nineteenth century.
2. Explain the role of the Chinese mestizos and their ranks within the changing Philippine economy and society .
3. Discuss the interplay of several factors that contributed to the changing landscape of Philippine society and economy.

Context

This module will discuss the changing landscape of Philippine economy in the nineteenth century and describe how these
developments had an impact on the society in which Rizal grew up, matured, and eventually martyred. It will begin by looking at the
tremendous economic development starting in the late eighteenth century as a product of multiple factors. This module will then
map the effects of economic developments on Spanish policies on education, social life, and the people of the Philippines. The role
of an important population, the Chinese mestizos, in Philippine life and economy will also be noted. These Chinese mestizos will be
located in the context of the changing social stratification in the Philippines

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Content

Life and Society During the Nineteenth Century

The development in the 19th century brought about by the industrial revolution has definitely affected how the people
viewed the world. It paved the way for people to experience what they thought before as impossible (David, 1975). Their primeval
thinking was totally transformed (David, 1975; Drezner & Wolf, 2005). Example with this was the invention of steamships where
people and cargo can travel faster. Another important invention was electricity that made printing more efficient. This did not only
usher the increase of production in the factory and made the life of the workers much easier at home, but one of the exciting
electrical inventions was the battery which illuminated their houses and photographs of their past memories and experiences were
captured (David, 1975; Drezner & Wolf, 2005). People then became more energized and motivated to produce, explore and learn
more than ever before. Telegraphs were invented which made communication easier across the globe. Great Britain and France
began to compete with Spain in looking for the global market of their products. Chinese merchants too with the end of the
monopoly of the galleon trade, connect Asia with its transpacific silk route to Europe and the rest of the world. In short, the 19th
century as mentioned by Hart, E. ( 2015), was known as the “ first era of the globalization of history” .
People’s connectivity then made time and space closer to Europe which was famous then as the center of knowledge. The
Manila-Acapulco trade route and later the opening of the world trade and commerce  became  instrumental in the spread of liberal
ideas  for the Philippines(De Viana, 2011). It was in this period that the Suez canal was built and opened, by Ferdinand de Lesseps in
1869 (Pudney, 1969; Schumacher, 2008).Through this canal, what was considered as the farthest Spanish colony as mentioned by
Arcilla (Arcilla, 2008) was made closer by cutting the travel time of three months to 30 days. With this development and the
international trade, many Filipinos were able to economically participate and enriched themselves. Like a domino effect, this led to
the rise of the middle class. Wealthy families were able to send their children to the best schools here and abroad which created an
avenue for the liberal ideas in Europe to seep in and made social progress in the country. Spanish mestizos and natives rose to a
position of power and eventually became leaders in finance and education.  Rizal was born in this period and other phyropagandists
such as Marcelo H. del Pilar and Graciano Lopez Jaena. It was a time of our country’s history that became an eye opener to
democracy, freedom and ideas of equality. Just like other race, the Indios deserved  total respect and recognition . Racial
discrimination was strong, there was no equality before the law, government officials were corrupt and  friars abuses was very
much  evident. Therefore, in the Philippines, 19th century’s innovation and technology did not only bring about the rise of the

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middle class and the illustrados, as well as economic development. Eventually, these transformation became part of the shared
experience which led to a positive force  that  gradually brought about the  emergence of a Filipino nation (Obias,et.al, 2018).
Comparative Descriptions of the Economic and Societal Conditions of Spain and the Philippines.
Spain was considered as one of the superpowers before. It had many colonies outside Europe. But in the 19th century Spain’s
colonies such as those in South and Central America have won their independence through revolution like for instance, Mexico
which occupied almost half of the American continent. The Philippines was one of Spain’s remaining colonies. In terms of natural
resources and trade potential the Philippines was the richest (De Viana et al, 2011). This explains why, Philippines is known as the
Singapore of the 19th century.
That's why Spain at the brink of bankruptcy allowed  the Philippine colony that was used to be forbidden to trade with other
countries due to its mercantilist policy opened to international trade. During this time the colonial government made significant
changes in their governance with the Philippine colony. Before there was a passport requirement within the colony to discourage
the natives to travel but with the opening of the Philippines to world trade they abolished this passport requirements, new ports
were opened like Iloilo and Zamboanga, and they also built more farm to market roads to expedite the transport of good going to
the market. As there was the economic boom it led also to the emergence of  a Filipino wealthy group or more known as middle
class in our history books. During this time, the economic power which was solely enjoyed by the Spaniards was taken away from
them. (Obias et. al,2018). Chinese mestizos turned Parian, Manila  into a vibrant economy and made it a center of economic
activities that connect the trade route from Asia to Europe  which contributed to the formation of Filipino nationality (Tan, 1986).
The Spaniards tried to assert still their dominance by virtue of their race while the middle class  asserted and wanting to gain their
place under the sun by wanting to change the status quo (Agoncillo,1990). This friction eventually led to the creation of the reform
movement and the clamor that Philippines will become the province of Spain and must be represented in the Spanish Cortes.
However, the motherland was engrossed in her own problem and issues that it cannot attained to the clamor for   change. Hence, 
the publication of the two famous novels, the Noli and the El Filibusterismo. Exposing the social cancer awakened the national
consciousness which resulted in the founding of the Katipunan that resulted eventually to the end of the 333 years of Spanish
occupation in the Philippines. 
The Chinese and Chinese Mestizos (Excerpt from Life and Works of Rizal by Obias, et. Al)
The sectors that greatly benefited from the changing economy were the Chinese and the Chinese Mestizos. Since pre-colonial
times, the natives of the Philippines had had trade relations with Chinese. During the height of the Galleon Trade, it was also Chinese

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products that comprised most the goods being traded. The influx of Chinese settlements in the Philippines made the Spaniards
suspicious of the Chinese. These feelings led to stringent states policies towards the sangley raging from higher taxes, the restriction
of movement with the establishment of the Chinese enclave (the Parian), to actual policies of expulsion.
The Chinese, however, proved to be “necessary outsiders'' in Philippine colonial economy and society. Although the
Spaniards were wary of the Chinese, they realized the importance that the latter played in sustaining the economy. From the goods
loaded on the galleons to the development to retail trade, the Chinese enlivened the economy. Eventually and gradually, they
became integrated into colonial society, giving rise to intermarriages with indios that gave birth to Chinese meztizos. The Chinese
mestizos assumed an important role in the economy all throughout the Spanish colonial period. they influenced the changing
economy in the nineteenth century by purchasing land, accumulating wealth and influence.
Impact on Life in the Colony
The economic developments, as mentioned, precipitated social, political, and cultural developments as well. For example,
the new economy demanded a more literate population to address the rising need for a more professionalized workforce to man
the trading activities in Manila and other centers. This demand compelled the issuance of the colonial government order in 1836
that required all towns to set up primary schools to teach the population how to read and write. In 1863 that mandated free primary
education. Eventually, the nineteenth century also gave birth to many schools that addressed the growing demand for more
professionals. Schools like Ateneo Municipal were established during this time. The complex nature of the developing economy also
allowed the government to intensify bureaucratization and to streamline colonial governance.
As Manila became a trading center, it became a viable destination for people seeking better opportunities or those wanting
to escape the worsening conditions in the farmlands. The increased rate of internal migration raised several concerns. One, people
flocked the centers of trade like Manila. Overcrowding implied issues in living quarters, sanitation and public health, and increase in
criminality. Two, the continuous movement of people made tax collection extra difficult. In order to mitigate these concerns, one
measure implemented was the 1894 decree to Governor-General Narciso Claveria that urged the people in the colony to adopt
surnames. With the catalogo de apellidos drawn up, the colonial government assigned surnames to people and forbade changing
names. Together with more policies like the resignation and possession of a cedula personal bearing one’s name and residence, the
colonial government sought to have a better surveillance mechanism. To help carry out policies better, the guardia civil was
eventually established. As the new economy afforded the colonial state new opportunities, it also prompted the state to be more
regulatory and to assert its authority.

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Renegotiating Social Stratification
The Philippine society felt the impact of the developing economy. As a result, social relations underwent redefinitions and
the changing dynamics brought about a renegotiation of social stratification. With the growing relevance of the mestizo population,
new lines were drawn with the following social strata:

Peninsular Pure-blooded Spaniards born in the Iberian Peninsula

(Spain)

Insular Pure-blooded Spaniards born in the Philippines

Mestizo Born of mixed parentage, a mestizo can be:

Spanish mestizo- one parent is Spanish, the other is a
native; or
Chinese mestizo- one parent is Chinese, the other is a
native

Principalia Wealthy pure-blooded native supposedly descended from

the kadatoan class

Indio Pure-blooded native in the Philippines

Chino infiel Non-Catholic pure-blooded Chinese

As the Spaniards lost economic power in the nineteenth century, they asserted dominance by virtue of their race. This issue
brought complications with the rising principalia and mestizo populations who realized their indispensable position in society as
movers and facilitators of the economy. The renegotiation continued throughout the century as the mestizos and principalia elite
eventually demanded social recognition that the pure-blooded Spaniards had consistently denied them.

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 These wealthy mestizos and members of the principalia continued to amas economic and cultural capital. They also availed
themselves of the opportunity to obtain higher degrees of education not only in the Philippines but also in Europe. These activities
augmented their relevance in society as it was from these ranks that articulation of nationalism would emerge.

LEARNING MATERIALS:
1. Watch The Manila Galleon Trade: The Forgotten Silk Road of the Spanish American Empire: 1565-1815. YouTube link of the
International Conference: Exploring Maritime Heritage Dynamics - Evelyn Hu-Dehart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=50fJC7vSJ9I

Suggested Activity

Activity 1: The students are needed to make a summary using a worksheet containing the changes and developments that were felt
in the nineteenth-century Philippines. After listing the changes, the students will plot them within Rizal’s biography and write the
aspects of which they think that had a direct or indirect impact on Rizal while citing events in his life.

Activity 2: Chapter Questions are provided by the instructor that are needed to be answered by the students.

Soft copy of their output and a short video while explaining the output should be posted in google classroom or any social media
platforms.

References: 
Agoncillo, T.A. (1990). A History of the Filipino People. GP Press.
Anderson, B. (2006). Imagined communities: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism. Verso Books.

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Arcilla, J.S. (2008). An Introduction to Philippine History. Ateneo  De Manila University Press.
David, P. A. (1975). Technical choice innovation and economic growth: essays on American and British experience in the nineteenth
century. Cambridge University Press.
De Viana, A.V. et al. (2011). Jose Rizal: Social Reformer and Patriot. Rex Bookstore.
De Viana, A.V. (2011). The Philippines: A Story of a Nation. Rex Bookstore. 
Drezner, D. W., & Wolf, M. (2005). Why Globalization Works. International Journal, 60(2), 586. doi:10.2307/40204315
Obias, R.W. et al. (2018). The Life and Works of Jose Rizal. C&E Publishing, Inc. 
Pudney, J. (1969). Suez; De Lesseps' Canal. Praeger. 
Tan, A. S. (1986). The Chinese mestizos and the formation of the Filipino nationality. Archipel, 32(1), 141-162.