Rizal

CHAPTER I

JOSE RIZAL AND HIS TIMES (19TH CENTURY)

Content

It is difficult to say when Filipinos began to think of themselves as Filipinos and not simply as Tagalogs, Ilokanos or Visayans. Probably the preliminary stage in the development of national consciousness was reached when indios realized that they have something in common, that is, a common grievance against the Spaniards (De la Costa 1965: 213). Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, was the first to think the indios as one nation when he first used the word “Filipino” to refer to all inhabitants in the country whether they are of Spanish or Filipino blood. During the Spanish period, the native inhabitants were called “Indios” while only the inhabitants with Spanish blood (peninsulares, insulares or mestizos) were regarded as Filipinos. Rizal could not have thought of one people and one nation which include all people in archipelago without the influence of the social milieu of his time. Rizal was born and grew up in the 19th century, a period of massive changes in Europe, Spain and in the Philippines. During this era, the glory and power of Spain had waned both in her colonies and in the world.

THE GLOBAL CONTEXT: THE THREE GREAT REVOLUTIONS

Conversely, one cannot fully understand Rizal’s thought without understanding the social and political context of the 19th century. Social scientists marked the 19th century as the birth of modern life as well as the birth of many nation-states around the world. The birth of modernity was precipitated by three great revolutions around the world: the Industrial revolution in England, the French Revolution in France and the American Revolution.

Industrial Revolution

The industrial revolution is basically an economic revolution which started with the invention of steam engine and resulted to the use of machinery in the manufacturing sector in the cities of Europe. It has changed the economy of Europe from feudalism—an economic system...