Nation-State Formation in

the Philippines
Asst. Prof. Richard DL Rodriguez, MPS
Learning Objectives
Theoretical Approaches and Conceptual
Tools
Introduction
• Nation-State – ‘An alignment between the
political unit (state) and the unit of culture
(nation) and the most countries today are
called.
Nation
• Ethnic nation vs territorial nation
• Ethnic diversity
• Ethnic cleavages
State
• Effective States - Autonomy and
Capacity
• Strong States vs Weak States
State
Nation-Building and State Formation

• Colonization, decolonization and new territorial boundaries

• Various ethnolinguistic groups and regionalism
• ‘Indios’ to ‘Filipinos’
• Christianized majority vs ethnic minorities
• Colonial state prepared the ground for the emergence of the nation by
forging the unity of separated ethnic groups into administrative units
Pre-Colonial Spanish Period American Period
• Barangay • Colonial • Decentralized –
liberal democratic
• Datu • Gobernador
General, Alcaldes • State power was
• Political power is divided
concentrated to Mayores,
Cabildos, • Elections
one person
Governadorcillos • Local government
• No central
government that • Frailocracy • 1935 Constitution
regulated the • Centralized • Separation of
barangays Church and State
Nation Building and State Formation
Creation of an Elite Dominated Politics
Weak Social Control
Weak Social Control
• Undermined professionalism in the bureaucracy
• Powers of appointment
• ‘The big shuffle’
• State agencies with overlapping functions
End