Rizal’s Socio, Political and Economic Thought: Thought of Change
A term paper to be submitted in partial fullment of the reuirements for the sub!ect Socio"Political Socio"Political and Economic Thought
Submitted #$: %&'(), *+RT 'E+S .A Political Science /
Submitted To:
.r.r- 0erdinand 0erdinan d a1an a1a n Social Studies 2/3
April 45/6
&-
&ntroduction
Rizal is one of the leaning and important gures in our Philippine history. He was indeed recognizing as our national hero, a renowned propagandist, and a symbolism of Filipino nationalism. He was a key member of the Filipino Propaganda Moement which is composed by intellect Filipinos that adocates political reforms of the Philippine colony under !panish rule. He wrote two important noels, the "oli Me #angere and $l Filibusterisimo to open the eyes of the Filipino People to the grim truth of !panish tyranny. %ue to his writings and the propaganda moement, he was e&ecuted by the !panish goernment goernment for the conspiring of rebellion motiated in his writings. His death sparks the Philippine Reolution against !pain and the 'uest of the Filipino people for self(determination.
& &-
Prelude and (b!ecti7es
His political thought was in)uence by such critical *unctures in our history. #he opening of Manila to the world trade was one. +ith the wide acceptance of laissez( faire doctrines in the later part of the -th century, !pain rela&ed its mercantilist policies /aide 0. F., 1234. #his leads to opening and admission of foreign rms and indiiduals aside from !pain to enter the Philippines. #he opening of the !uez 5anal also made the trael between Philippines and !pain shorter. shorter. $&change between trades of goods e&pands and become faster, the e&change of ideas also spread. #he in)u& of ideas due to the world trade and the opening of the !uez 5anal especially on political thought in)uence Filipinos who were e&posed to the academe. !pain e&perience ideals of 6iberalism during the period of $nlightenment in $urope. 7asically the diine rights of kings were challenged. 8n -9-, a reolution oerthrew the autocratic monarchy of :ueen 8sabella 88 of !pain, which was replaced by a ciil and liberal goernment with Republican principles led by Francisco !errano. Howeer the monarchy was restored at the -3; restoration Foreman, 1<94. Here in the Philippines, one ma*or eent is the -3= 5aite Mutiny where military personnel rise up for their beliefs due against ta& or the polos y sericio labor serice4 whic which h has has been been dedu deduct cted ed to thei theirr sala salari ries es.. #he #he muti mutiny ny was was cras crashe hed d and and late laterr prosecuted prosecuted to those who are in charge > basically the mutineers are either imprisoned or e&ecuted. #he mutiny was an instrument used by the !panish colonial goernment and friars to accuse three secular priests, Mariano 0omez, ?ose 7urgos, and ?acinto /amora > the 0@M7AR/B and all were e&ecuted through the garrote. @ne of the priests, ?ose 7urgos reputation caused him to be accused to the mutiny Foreman, 1<94. 7urgos had been recognized as a defender of the natie clergy. His arguments oer oer the rights rights of nati natie e pries priests ts had prolo prolonge nged d to includ include e 'uest 'uestion ions s of race race and nationalism /aide 0. , 1-;4. #he tragic eent of the e&ecution e&ecution of the 0@M7AR/B is origin of the political awakening of young intellects especially Rizal. #he 5aite Mutiny of -3= lead to the Propa Propaga ganda nda Moeme Moement nt which which aim for refor reforms. ms. 7asica 7asically lly the refor reforms ms push push that that Phil Ph ilip ippi pine nes s sh shou ould ld be made made a pro proin ince ce of !pai !pain, n, Ph Phil ilip ippi pine nes s sh shou ould ld hae hae a representatie at the !panish 5ortes, Filipino priest instead of !panish friars and rule of law. Howeer the colonial authorities did not faour these reforms 5raig, =<<34.
+ith such reforms cannot be achieed and the growing ideological diCerences among the members, members, the Propag Propaganda anda moement soon dissole. dissole. 7ut with the happenin happenings gs especially to the political arena, Rizal was baDe to what prescription should be done to the ill(sicken Philippines. #his was re)ected in his two noels, the "oli Me #angere #angere and $l Filibusterismo. Bside from illustrating the Philippines situation from !panish rule, it also narrates and proposes a two(pronged remedy or solution, that is, thru reform reform and reolution. #his was his main political thought, his ob*ectie for the Philippines > the poli politi tics cs of chan change ge,, a thou though ghtt of chan change ge.. His His lite litera ratu turre woul would d be lead lead to the the independence of the Philippines from !panish colonial rule. His whole works would deter determin mine e his polit politica icall though thoughtt yet there there is still still comple comple&it &ity y wheth whether er he suppo support rts s reforms or reolution. #his now would assess his political beliefs and to what certain degree is his position towards the political spectrum. His political thought between refor reform m and reol reolut ution ion will will also also deter determin mine e his thoug thought ht regar regardin ding g the socie society ty and economy.
&&&&&&-
Poli Politi tica call thou though ghts ts:: Re Refo form rm or Re Re7o 7olu luti tion on
His two noels basically re)ect political ideas of reform and reolution > two political alternatie strategies. His ob*ectie focuses on the application between reform and reol reoluti ution on due to the on growi growing ng crisis crisis in the Phi Philip lippi pines nes #he #he noelE noelEs s main main character and protagonist, 5risostomo 8barra during the "oli and later own change his identity as !imoun in $l Fili shows RizalEs duality moing to and from assimilation and successi succession, on, a personal personality ity torn torn between between pen and sword, sees RizalEs RizalEs inspiration inspiration of Philippine Reolution > between reform and reolution 7albin, =<4. !ome historians would agree that Rizal was indeed a reformist as his main ob*ectie towards the Philippine 8slands under !panish colonial rule. #he popular uprising against !pain in -19 and his lack of support and endorsement for a reolution armed struggle would complicate our opinion regarding his political thought. #he grieous conse'uence conse'uence in dichotomizing dichotomizing the reform reform and reolution alternatie aCected the national moement was pictured by Rizal and the 6a 6iga Filipina against 7onifacio and the Gatipunan. #he dichotomization leads to be counter( produ producti ctie e and instil instilll doubt doubt of antogi antoginis nismI. mI. #his #his was purely purely re)ec re)ected ted when when the Bmerican attacks the 8ndependent moement as anti(Rizal @campo, =<<4. Blso when %r. %r. Pio Pio Jalenzu alenzuela ela testi testied ed in milita military ry court court upon upon the outbr outbreak eak of the the Ph Phili ilippi ppine ne Reolution, he attested during his consultation with Rizal in %apitan, that Rizal had strongly condemned an armed struggle for independence when Jalenzuela asked for his support. 7ut years later, Jalenzuela testied that Rizal had been faorable to an uprisin uprising g as long as the Filipinos ilipinos were were well(pr well(prepar epared, ed, and well(sup well(supplie plied d with arms 6aubach, 1=24. Jalenzuela Jalenzuela said to historian #eodoro #eodoro Bgoncillo that he had lied to the !panish military authorities about RizalKs true stance toward a reolution in an e Cort to ac'uit him Bgoncillo, 1194. #his statement alone and other more statement could *ustify that that RizalEs thought thought is into into the reolutionary reolutionary side. side. "oli Me #angere illustrates and e&poses the tyranny of the !panish 5atholic priests and the ruling goernment, basically Rizal incorporate what he sees in the
reali reality ty world world in his rst noel. noel. Bs he incor incorpor porate ates s his ndings ndings,, he lets lets the target target readers, the Filipinos to wake up to the reality of tyranny. #he young 5risostomo 8barra symbolizes the opening of the eyes of the intellects *ust like Rizal which was spark by Fr. ?ose 7urgos. 8barra itself was a re)ection of Rizal, a $uropean educated man who returns for the hope of change. "oli becomes a catalyst of reolution and charter of nationalism for Filipinos Filipinos !chumacher, =<<-4. $l Filibusterismo ilibusterismo as the se'uel for "oli is a treatise of reolution 5apino, 0onzales, L Pineda, 1134 and a eritable declaration of war against the colonial regime :uibuyen, 1114. #hroughout #hroughout the se'uel, there was an unnished dialogue on reform reform and reolution between 8barra and $lias in the "oli, and continued !imoun and 7asilio in the $l Fili. $lias, a wanted criminal and a miserable man but an idealistic one who wanted reolutionize reolutionize the country and to be freed from !panish oppression. oppression. He was the primary supporter of reolution. +e also hae reformist such as Pilosopong #asyo he hopes hopes for reform reformation ation although although the discussi discussion on of $lias $lias and Rizal was highlighted. highlighted. Furthe urtherm rmor ore e the )ow of eents eents speci specica cally lly the the incide incident nt with with Padre adre %amaso %amaso and 5risostomo 8barra, 8barraEs imprisonment and sentenced e&ecution, and his escape escalated to the response of reenge. #he reenge symbolizes the plot of reolution. Rizal as an author heaily emphasizes on the main protagonist and he did show in the characte characterr of !imoun. !imoun. !imoun !imoun was disgusted disgusted towards towards 7asilio 7asilio and 8saganiEs 8saganiEs plan of putt puttin ing g up a !pan !panis ish h acad academ emy y. #he #he radi radica call atti attitu tude de and and beha behai iou ourr of !imo !imoun un symb symbol oliz izes es that that Riza Rizall alr already eady iden identi tie ed d hims himsel elff with with the the apos apostl tle e of reol eolut utio ion n 0uerrero, =<<4. #he e&treme put into place when !imoun plots to blow up Gapitan #iagoEs house during Paulita Paulita 0omezEs wedding reception. reception. #he failure and his suicide would be interpreted by some that Rizal does not support the armed reolution. et we must remember that 7asilio was one of the ictims of !panish regime. 8t symbolizes that they already forget the atrocities. atrocities. Rizal may or Rizal is a counter(reolution, but with the se'uence of the noel it, we can ask why he is counter(reolutionary. He can be counter(reolutionary because he may be hopeful for reforms. 7ut it may be also that he is counter(reolution counter(reolution but not against because we are not ready to the risk of reolution which he states when %r. Pio Jalenzuela isited him in %apitan. He prescribes that Filipinos should prepare for the incoming. Reolution may hae to wait for maturity. 8t can be a manifestation that the Filipino people is not yet ready because of insuNciency( lack of awareness, lack or support, lack of resources and the rest. !imoun was not totally supportedO some were in the state of illusion. His moties for reolution was base from reenge, his interest and engeance will neer succeed the problems in his noels at the end were neer soled. His plan is more on a personal gain not for the greater good. Anlike $lias, in RizalEs conersation with ?ose Ble*andro, Ble*andro, his roommate in 0ermany and later a general in the Philippine Reolution, Rizal reealed that his faourite character was not 8barra but $lias. Bs 'uoted by Ble*andro, Rizal confessed He Rizal4 regretted ery much haing killed $lias instead of 8barra, reas reasoni oning ng that that when when he publi publishe shed d the the "oli "oli his his health health was was ery ery much much broken, and was ery unsure of being able to write the continuation and
speak of a reolution. otherwise 8 would hae presered the life of $lias, who was a noble noble characte character, r, patriotic patriotic,, self(deny self(denying ing and disinter disintereste ested d > necessary 'ualities in a man who leads a reolution > whereas 5ristomo 8barra was an egotist who only decided to prooke the rebellion when he was hurt in his interestsQ with men like him, success cannot be e&pected in their undertakingsI Ble*andro, 1;14. Refo eform was was neer eer inclu nclus sie, ie, but it was a tact tactic ic that hat is need eeded to be distinguished for the longer strategy of separatism. :uibuyen, 1114. Rizal maybe positioned himself to reforms but as he incorporates to his noel > the reform seems useless and the presence of in*ustice will still be there. Reolution was the nal key, the way to prepare prepare and e&ecute will now depend to the reolutionaries. reolutionaries. #he reolution should be ripe before e&ecuting it, since it is too risky. Meaningless to say, the end of the se'uel tides towards the conte&t of reolution. RizalEs cousin 0allicano Bpacible also e&pressed his misgiing about the iew that Rizal was anti(reolution. He argues for the contrary, nding that Rizal was a complete complete and unwaering unwaering separati separatist st who belieed belieed that only thru separatin separating g from from !pain could Filipino Filipino achiee their social, ciil and political aspiration :uibuyen, 1114. Rizal continued that Filipinos could not and ought not to e&pect anything good to the !paniards. Blso recalling the election that lasted days to elect a responsibleI > one who would direct the Philippine Policy in $urope, Bplicable recalled #here were two candidates Rizal and Marcelo %el Pilar. Pilar. Many of us who supported RizalEs candidacy did so on the coniction that Rizal was a separatist and the more radical one :uibuyen, 111, p. 94.I ?ose Ble*andro, Ble*andro, Bntonio 6una and $ldiberto $ldiberto $angelist, $angelist, all who are for separation separation against !pain e&pressed that Rizal was a supporter of the reolution. #hey considered the the peac peacef eful ul camp campai aign gn for for refor eforms ms as one one tact tactic ic with within in the the broa broad d stra strate tegy gy of seperatism :uibuyen, 1114. Rizal precluded the use of force if became necessary, as his ?une 1, --3 letter to 7lumentritt reeals reeals 8 can assure you that 8 hae no desire to take part in conspiracies which seem to me premature and risky. 7ut if the goernment dries us to say, when there remains to us no other hope than to seek our ruin in war, when Filipinos shall prefer to die rather than to endure their miseries any longer, then 8 shall adocate iolent means 0uerrero, =<<4. +ith +ith RizalEs RizalEs disillus disillusionm ionment ent with the Reform eform Moement, Moement, 6una 6una e&presse e&pressed d his support for Rizal and sent him this letter ?anuary -1=4 #he #he propa propagan ganda da for assimi assimilat lation ion is necess necessar ary y but but more more actie actie should the separatist propaganda propaganda be, because we shall not obtain the rst i.e. i.e. assimi assimilat lation ion44 and een een if we did which which is almost almost imposs impossibl ible4 e4 we would be worse oC than eerO the practical thing is to seek adherents in order to shake oC the yoke of !pain. 8 want to make clear therefore, what
is in my mind that we must work for independence, organizing ourseles, conerting ourseles into apostles in order to gain men and money. money. For all this this much much study study is necess necessar ary, y, a great great deal of tact, tact, prude prudenc nce e and no boasting of our strengthQ 8 oCer therefore my serices, in this sense, but with the sole condition that 8 shall be allowed to disengage myself from the actie campaign if 8 see it will only be an armed riot. 8t is not that 8 dream of success, rather 8 dream of a resistance for which you understand me well enoughO if they triumph oer us let it be at the cost of much blood. 8 shall go then to Manila and in all my acts always keep in mind my duty as a separatist. ?ose, 13=4I His colle colleagu agues es in the inner inner circle circle knew knew that that this this is their their ultima ultimate te ob*ect ob*ectie ie.. Realizing Realizing that the reforms reforms that is the wish list of the Propaganda Moement cannot be achiee the such as Philippine as a proince of !pain, reform was seen as a tactic > a campaign of enlightenment and later on deeloping the national consciousness of the Filipinos :uibuyen, 1114. +ith the reformist pushing for such reforms while !pain took less action and attention, people gain more awareness about the tyrannical rule and began supporting for separation as what the Gatipunan moement started. Bs history is uncertain whether or not Rizal refuses a reolutionary reolutionary moement, the turn of eents escalated to what resulted to the Philippine Reolution and the 'uest of self( determination.
&8&8-
Socia ociall an and Ec Econom onomic ic thou thoug ght
Regardless Regardless of what Rizal prefers, one thing is for sureO his thought as we e&pect is beyond moderate or liberalism in the e&tent that he may show what is more radical duri during ng that that time time whic which h is the the ideo ideolo logi gies es in the the far far(lef (leftt Mar Mar&i &ism sm,, !oci !ocial alis ism, m, Bnarchism4.!ome would ask if Rizal was e&posed to the writings of Mar&ism or any trend of !ocialism. !ocialism. Bctually he was was e&posed. His mentor and friend, friend, Miguel Morayta who is a professor of History at Aniersidad 5entral de MadridO and friend Francisco Pi y Margall, an e&treme republican, a libertarian socialist, the president of the short( lied First !panish Republic in -3 and an adocate of autonomyO both borrowed heaily from ProudhonEs !ocial Philosophy 0uerroro, =<<O 7onoan, 11=4. Proudhon is considered by many to be the father of anarchism 0uerin, 13<4. His theory denes anarchy as the absence of a master, of a soereign and wrote, Bs man seeks *ustice in e'uality, so society seeks order in anarchy. Rizal may hae been introduc introduced ed to Proudh ProudhonEs onEs ideas. 8n his noel noel $l Filibuste ilibusterism rismo, o, !imoun !imoun present presented ed anarchist attitude especially in his plot to blow up Gapitan #iago house during Paulita 0omezEs wedding reception. His plot to kill not *ust the clergy and goernment oNcials but but also also eer eeryb ybod ody y regar egardl dles ess s of bein being g inno innoce cent nt of not, not, re)ec e)ects ts him him bein being g an anarchist. RizalEs friend and his admiration to Pi y Margall may also shape his thought. Rizal knew the stateman Margall and later become friends because Rizal was a friend of his daughter. Margall specically presented his goernmentEs program of reform with this opening line Bll Bll political reolutions are, are, at bottom, a class warI war I 114. 8t was
his goer goernme nmentE ntEs s ob*ec ob*ecti tie e to pae pae the way for the emanci emancipat pation ion of the the worki working ng classes through through radical reforms. #he social 'uestion is the concern of all,I declares Pi y Margall Bsiniero, =<<24. Bnd this brings us right to Rizal. 8n fact ?uan 6una had also written to Rizal on the sub*ect of socialism which he asked for guidance on what books to read read on the sub*ec sub*ectt matter matter.. 6u 6una na indeed indeed was enthus enthused ed oer oer 6e 6e !ocial !ocialism isme e 5ontemporainI, described as a con)ationI of arious schools of socialist thought from utopians like !t. !imon and Robert Robert @wen to Mar&ist, Mar&ist, anarchists and 5hristian socialists @rd @rdon onez ez,, =< =< OO 0uer 0uerrrero, ero, =< =<< <4. 4. Riza Rizall hims himsel elff wrot wrote e a leng length thy y disc discus ussi sion on on "oember -1 with a Russian "aturalist about the principles and implication of the socialism of 6eo #olstoy. olstoy. 0uerrero, 0u errero, =<<4 RizalEs noels and works re)ect themes that are used as a tool for his social analysis of the Philippine conte&t. +ith or without knowledge of the Mar&ist rhetoric, Rizal indeed was employing Mar&ian tools of analysis on illustrating how the conditions during the !panish colonial Philippines 7albin, =<4. His works reeal how a group of people that had so much absolute power control oer the factors of production in an economic system who determined on retaining that power by whateer means it was challenged by an inferior group Filipinos4 Filipinos4 which has the intent in obtaining that power themseles. 8n what ways do the current group !paniards4 !paniards4 who controls the means of production, it would always be in an e&ploitatie matter. #he !panish colonial rule employs employs an $ncomiend $ncomienda a system system through throughout out her colonies colonies.. Ander Ander the $ncomiend $ncomienda a system, the natie inhabitants in a gien geographic region were entrusted to an $ncomendero or trustee as a reward for his serice to the !panish 5rown. 8n return, the $ncomendero was authorized to collect tribute from the naties and to recruit workers for the polos y sericios. #his system is so e&tractie that it leads to force( labour. 8n Mar&ian perspectie, it is how the !paniards e&tract and e&ploit our labour in return to support the upper class. 7y the notion of class, Filipino was indeed a class in RizalEs works. #he Bmerican, French French and Russian Russian reolution was not about nationalism but basically challenging the diine rights. #he French and Russian basically shifted the structure of the class paradigm, from monarch to a pluralistic area. #he Bmerican Reolution not *ust results to independence but also to a radical shift to those who hold power. #he sayings of Mar& can be applied to Rizal as well #he prescriptie content of Mar&Es early conception of nationality appears considerably more radical than than the other other democ democrat ratic ic concep concepts ts of the nation nation that that hae hae been been drawn drawn on the legacies of the French and Bmerican Reolution 7enner, 1124. @ne is the distinction between the restrictie nationality of the state and its supporting elites from the wider national community. 8ndeed RizalEs concept of the FilipinoI as a nationality can be compared to Mar&Es concept of 5lass. Filipino is a class, a group of people which is heaily e&ploited and oppress by such dominating class > the !paniards. #his imposes that the concept of nationality of Rizal can re)ect to the oppressie characteristic of the upper class who indeed holds the means of production. #he Propaganda Propaganda Moement of the the Philippines pushes pushes for the abolition abolition of the polos y sericios and promotes e'uality among FilipinosI >the natie !paniards or
8nsulares, the 5reoles and the 8ndios. #his point to the concept of nationalism, where people who share a common language, history, and culture should constitute a nation is also related to class. 8t signies the con)icts between nationality and nationality, specically the awakening of national consciousness of the people under a colonial rule. Foreign domination or colonization in our history always depicts e&ploitation and oppression. oppression. 6and grabbing > the Regelian doctrine L encomienda system, force labour, relig religion ion as a tool tool for repr repress ession ion,, une'u une'ual al right rights s and freed freedom, om, repr repress essie ie polic policies ies against the colony would always make a distinction that this colonial goernment and the imperial states are the bourgeoisie in which Mar& would pertain that they could not retain their status and wealth without e&ploiting the lower class. #his lower class then is the naties liing in the colonial territories. +ith or without the knowledge of Mar&, Rizal denitely proided a framework that denitely uses the Mar&ian analysis for class class strugg struggle. le. #he #he econom economic ic system system > $ncomi $ncomiend enda a system system and its e&ploi e&ploitat tation ion towards Filipino workersO the social stratication between Filipino and !paniardsO the relig religiou ious s order orders s began began retak retaking ing Phi Philip lippin pine e parish parishesO esO the the colon colonial ial rule rule eentu eentuall ally y showed its weaknesses and eentually gae up as it sparks the reolution. #he in)u& of the intellectuals such as Rizal contributed to the consciousness of the people > this consciousness consciousness is not *ust nationalism but also class consciousness consciousness since people began to get tired against the abuses and in*ustices of the !panish 5olonial system. #ogether with the awakening of nationalism and the spark of class consciousness of the Filipino people, reolution was ineitable due to RizalEs action of proiding the people the truth.
8-
Conclusion
RizalEs contemporary political thought reoles around the politics of change which was the conse'uence conse'uence of the three(hundred three(hundred years of rule under !panish Regime. Regime. His thought can be said as the founder of Filipino "ationalism > which was resulted by the Propa Propaga ganda nda Moeme Moement nt and later later on the the Phi Philip lippin pine e Reolut eolution ion.. #hro #hroug ugh h this this process, one of the issues is that Rizal is uncertain between reform and reolution which was re)ected in his noels and his condemnation of a popular uprising against !pain in 1-9. #he common conception of his lack of support for the reolutionary armed struggle een more complicated to his political thought. 8t is belieed that he was neer a reolutionary but a reformist to the end. 7ut after the creation of the noels, his loss of hope and disillusion to the Propaganda Propaganda Moement, the rising turmoil against the !paniards, and the turn of eents > Rizal may hae change his opinion. et in the end we may Rizal shifted his opinions. opinions. His last work, Mi Altimo Bdios re)ects his strong loe loe for the nation, which which connotes that the Philippines Philippines desere desere more a sense of nationalism that truly push for separatism. Bnd also one insight from the !panish Bdocate 0eneral in his #rial cited Qlimits him Rizal4 to condemning the present rebellious moement as premature and because he considers its success impossible in this timeQ For Rizal it is a 'uestion of opportunity, not of principles or ob*ectiesQ 0uerrero, =<<, p. ;==4
Bs Father !chumacher would point out, this is a *ustly naie interpretation of ?ose RizalEs thoughts, thoughts, but correct correct in spirit, spirit, for Rizal really really neer waered waered from his belief belief that the Filipinos must be free. #hough, he always maintained that it was the Filipinos must work for it, and not only through force of arms or feats of strength. !chumacher summed it 7ut, consistent with his iews from the "oli onward, he maintained to the end that the reolutionary goal was to create a nation of Filipinos consc consciou ious s of their their human human and nation national al dignit dignity y and ready ready to sacri sacrice ce themseles to defend itQHe did not lie to see that day. 7ut he had pointed the way for his countrymen to follow, not *ust with his books, but with his life and with his death !chumacher, =<<-4. Regard egardles less s what what he opted opted to sid side e on, the reol reoluti ution on was inei ineitab table. le. #he Philippine Reolution happened, and basically his thought contributed to the struggle of the Filipinos in gaining self(determination and independence. His thought describes and criticizes the whole society under !pain > the social in*ustice between Filipinos and !paniardsO the e&tractie and e&ploitatie economic institutions especially of polos y sericio or force laborO and the wish for greater opportunity and participation in the local, national and federal goernment and the church. #his was his thought, the thought of change which re)ects all these three cores economic, political and social4. Bnd his thought contributed to the future of the Philippines and also in)uences other nations. 8t helped us in building the nation and ignites us Filipinos in looking the problems of our society. Regardless of preference on who our national hero or faourite hero, we must be like Rizal. Rizal was not blind to the reality and he re)ects to the problems which the Filipino suCers. He was a ghter, regardless of being a reformist or reolutionary. Bnd his actions lead to the soling the problem. He may be called as a socialist, liberal, reformist or reolutionaryO but one is sure that Rizal indeed was a humanist. His thought of change basically re)ects his loe for the people. His willingness to ght against the !paniards by the weapon of pen instead of the sword is not a re)ection of reform oer reolution but as the pen as a tool of both reform and reolution. $en though he knew the risk of what he is doing, he pursues his aims for the greater loe and and inte interrest. est. His His sacr sacric ice e of his his life life for his his coun countr tryme ymen n is a con conic icti tion on of a reolutionary reolutionary man, as 5he 0ueara 'uoted #he true reolutionary reolutionary is guided by great feelin feelings gs of loeI loeI.. RizalE RizalEs s death death and all the martyr martyrs s immort immortal alize ize their their loe loe for the people. #he greatest loe that one can gie to another is his life which they sacriced for the sake of the Filipino people against such tyrannical rule and oppression.
#ibliograph$ Bgoncillo, #. 1194. #he Reolt of the Masses. :uezon 5ity Aniersity of the Philippines Press.
Ble*andro, ?. 1;14. #he Price of Freedom 6a !enda del !acricio4. Manila !panish orinal published in 1. Bsiniero, 0. =<<24. La Liga in Rizal Scholarship. Retrieed from Bsian !tudies ?ournal of 5ritical Perspecties on Bsia httpSSas*.upd.edu.phSmediabo&SarchieSB!?(;1( (=<S6aT=<6igaT=
!chumacher, ?. =<<-4. #he Making of a "ation $ssays on 1th century Filipino "ationalism. :uezon 5ity, Philippines Bteneo de Manila Aniersity Press. /aide, 0. 1-;4. Philippine History and 0oernment. . Manila "ational 7ookstore Printing Press. /aide, 0. F. 1234. Philippine Political and 5ultural History #he Philippines !ince the 7ritish 8nasion 88 . Manila Mc5ullough Printing 5ompany.
