LESSON 6:

Rizal as a Political
Philosopher: Rizal
would Criticize Today’s
Society
Intended Learning Outcome:
1. Describe the social, political
and economic conditions of
the world and the Philippines
during Rizal’s time.
2. Examine the political situation
during Rizal’s time.
Concepts, Meaning,
Features and
Dimension
❑ Max Weber defines government as
the rise of an institution which has a
“monopoly of the legitimate use of
physical power.”

❑ Weber complains that government is

an institution that could legally take
people’s property by taxing them,
imprisoning them, and even
executing them. As a result of these
powers, government could force
people to do things that they
otherwise would resist.
❑ Rizal’s definition of government and
politics focused on the Spanish
influences.

❑ One of Rizal’s strongest criticisms of

Spaniards colonialization was the
corruption of the bureaucracy.

❑ In describing a typical Spanish

bureaucrat, Rizal wrote: “In order to
govern peoples he does not know or
understand, he ought to possess the
talent of a genius and extraordinary
knowledge. Rizal argued that this was
necessary because the Filipinos were
gaining a new political sophistication”.
 Rizal’s Concept of
Government and Politics

➢ In his letters to the Filipino leaders,

Rizal commented at length about
government. In a letter to Mariano
Ponce, Rizal remarked that one day
Filipino political leaders would finish
their “arduous mission which is the
formation of the Filipino nation.”
 Features:
Rizal’s Definition
of Basic Political
Terms
1.Political Culture – is a set of
ideas on values about government and
political process held by a community or
nation.

▪ Rizal on Political Culture – In his essay

“The Indolence of the Filipinos” Rizal
observed that “without education and
liberty…no reform is impossible.” Rizal
explained that, the political culture not
thrive in the Philippines because of the
inability of the Spanish to recognize local
political values. Only with education
could Filipinos overcome this deficiency.
2.Political Socialization – is one of
the main elements of political science.
Also defined as the process by which
people, at various stages in their lives,
acquire views and orientations about
politics.

▪ Rizal on Political Socialization – By

emphasizing the importance of being a
Filipino, Rizal accelerated the process of
local nationalism. His criticism of the
friars and the church helped to change
attitudes toward local nationalism.
3.Political Ideology – is a comprehensive
and logically ordered set of beliefs about the
nature of people and about the institutions
and role of government.

▪ Rizal on Political Ideology – In Rizal’s novel Noli

Me tangere,he wrote:
….we are speaking of the present condition of the
Philippines…yes, we are entering upon a period of
strife…the strife is between the past, which seizes and
strives with curses to cling to the tottering feudal
castles, and the future, whose some of triumph may
be heard from afar. Bringing the message of good
news from other land.” As a passionate supporter of a
new Philippine nation, Rizal introduced a fierce brand
of ideology which had made Filipinos among the most
political people in the world. Filipinos have carefully
defined political ideology.”
4.Nationalism – is a the idea of oneness by
a group of people who possess common
traditions, a shared history, a set of goals, and
a belief in a specific future.

▪ Rizal on Nationalism – Rizal argued that

Filipinos could only foster their own sense of
nationalism by studying history. Rizal wrote to
Blumentritt: “I would stimulate these Philippine
studies.” and concluded that history provided
“the true concept of one’s self and drove nations
to do great things.” Foremost is that he is the
dominant national hero who, unlike all other
heroes, had a firm vision of the future of the
Philippines. He glorifies life in the Philippines.
Onofre D. Corpuz concludes that Rizal’s life
suggest he is the “father of the country”.
5.Representative Government – it is the
notion that the people have an inherent
right to sit in a chamber that determines
their future.

▪ Rizal on Representative Government

Spain had granted Filipinos representation in
the Spanish Cortes from May 1809 until the
privilege was removed by Queen Maria Cristina
in 1836. Rizal believed that the representation
was essential to the governing process. Rizal
contented the representation removed the
spirit of revolution.
6.Democracy – a government in which all
power is shared by citizens. The word demos is
derived from a Greek word which means
people.

▪ Rizal on Democracy – In Rizal’s view the

best government was a mixture between
representative democracy and responsible
model of democracy. He believed that it
would take some time for Filipinos to
actively participate in local government. The
definition of democracy is found in Rizal’s
mind. He employed such definition in his
writings, his public speeches, and his
advocacy of Philippine democracy.