Jose Rizal As A Political Philosopher: Rizal Would Criticize

Today's Society
RIZAL AS AN ILLUSTRADO
What does ILLUSTRADO means?
the enlightened one
name attached to the young men who came of age in the 1880's and opposed the
repressive policies of the Spanish government and church.
anti-friar
criticized Spanish government officials for failing to provide adequate services.
ILLUSTRADO PHILOSOPHY
- focuses on promoting self-government.
He wrote an essay entitled
"The Philippines: A Century Hence"
Rizal also proposed the adoption of some primary reforms.
Basic political reforms
1. The restoration of Filipino representation to the Spanish Cortes and
freedom of the press.
2. Reorganization of the administrative machinery.
3. Adoption of a comprehensive examination and the publication of its results
and allowing Filipinos to have the same opportunity with the Spaniards to hold
government office.
4. Justice is the foundation of society and the government.
RIZAL'S CONCEPT OF GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Max Weber defines government as the rise of an institution which has "monopoly
of the legitimate use of physical power." He complains that the government is
an institution that could legally take people's property by taxing them, imprisoning
them, and even executing them.
Rizal's definition of government and politics focused on the Spanish influences. One
of his criticisms of Spanish colonialism 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 argue that it this was necessary because the
Filipinos were gaining a new political sophistication.
In his letter to other 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."
THE KEY INGREDIENTS OF POLITICS IN THE NOLI ME TANGERE
Rizal's novel, Noli Me Tangere, discusses the key ingredients of political science.
The plot of the novel centers around a returning native son named Crisostomo
Ibarra, who finds an alien nation and becomes a stranger in his own land. He
studied abroad and in his absence his father killed a Spanish tax collector. In this
portion of the novel art imitates life. This was Rizal's way of exonerating his own
family. Their wealth reduced due to the conflict with the local authorities. In the
novel, Rizal had his revenge by savaging the friars and the corrupt government
officials.
He fictionalizes the problems of his family with the government in the novel. He
uses it to discuss the key ingredients of political science. But there are other
significant points made in the Noli Me Tangere. Rizal extracts a strange sort of
revenge against hid Spanish conquerors. His main concern is to demonstrate how
the Philippines has been bastardized.
Leon Ma. Guerrero, one of Rizal's most prominent biographers, argues that Noli Me
Tangere, "denies the friars even the dignity of their convictions." In a series of
letters to Blumentritt, Rizal critically dissected the the failures of the Spanish rule.
Guerrero's biography suggests that Rizal was influenced by his studies in Spain and
he became an adherent of Spanish anti-clericalism. This conclusion ignores the
degree of Rizal's hostility to the church prior to his Europian studies.
The best analysis of Rizal's political contribution is RAUL J. BONOAN who
argues that Rizal was caught between faith and reason. Tasio, the philosopher,
projects some important lessons in the novel. He was the wise man from the city of
San Diego. He was a wise man. He is contemptuous of the superstition foisted upon
the people by the church and he is particularly critical of the notion that hell is a
possibility. What Tasio represents is the freedom that Rizal experienced when he
studied in Europe. He is a man of wisdom who is able to counsel snd direct the
novel's main characters..
Philippines.
RIZAL'S DEFINITION OF BASIC POLITICAL TERMS

Political Culture
is a set of ideas and values about government and the 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 possible... Rizal exclaimed that, political culture
could not thrive in the Philippines because of the inability of the Spanish to
recognize local political values. Only education could Filipinos overcome this
deficiency.
Political Socialization
is one of the main elements of political science.
a process by which people, at various stages in their lives, acquire views and
orientation 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

Political Ideology
is a comprehensive and logically ordered set of beliefs about nature of people and
about the institutions and role of government.
Rizal on Political Ideology
In Rizal's novel Noli Me Tangere, he writes:
...we are speaking of the present condition of the Philippines... yes, we are now
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
song 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.

Nationalism
is the idea of oneness by 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 suggests
he
is
the
"father
of
his
country"

Representative Government
is the notion that the people have an inherit right to sot in a chamber that
determines their future.
Rizal on Representative Government
Spain had granted Filipinos representation in the Spanish Cortes from 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 that representation removed the spirit of revolution.
Democracy
a government in which all power is shared by citizens
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.

RIZAL WOULD CRITICIZE TODAY'S SOCIETY

If Jose Rizal were alive today, "he would write two novels, be imprisoned again and
be criticized by government and society" so said lawyer Pedro Rosito, Cebu Chapter
Commander of the Knights of Rizal.
Today, Rizal would stand out in the midst of the confusion brought about by
allegations of electoral fraud and cheating.

 Maybe this time, "Filipinos and not Spanish soldiers would shoot him or give him
lethal injection.
During Spanish times, filibustering referred to a Filipino or any person who would
rebel or utter words against the Spanish and was thus considered dangerous so he
would have to be imprisoned. Today, filibustering according to Rosito, is used to
describe the long speech of some lawmakers, or some senators including one of the
speeches of Sen. Aquilino Pimentel which lasted for several hours which just
consumed and wasted precious time.
Rizal was famous for criticizing and exposing the abuses of Spanish friars and
officials. "If Rizal were alive today, he too would question the way the priests are
spending the money of the church and would be checking whether these are used
to build more schools for the poor; he would be more vigilant on the
maladministration of justice for the people; he would have criticized the prevailing
graft and corruption practices in the bureau; he would criticized the "gambling
lords" who resemble the landlords and those receiving "jueteng payola" who
resemble "tax collectors" during his times.