Rizal

• Changes happening in Europe (and elsewhere) in the 19th Century

  Affected, in the positive and negative way, the political and social life in Spain
• Changes happening in Europe (and elsewhere) in the 19th Century

  • French Revolution
  • Napoleonic Wars
  • Advent of the Industrial Revolution
  • Revolt of Spain's Latin American Colonies
  • Flourishing of modern philosophies
• Conservatives and liberals in Spain

  Made a compromise to alternate in the control of government
• Toward the end of the 18th Century, principles of freedom resonated throughout the world (French Revolution, American Declaration of Independence)
• Spain could no longer ignore concepts of inalienable rights of man, universal suffrage and popular sovereignty
• Principles of the French Revolution, and philosophers like Montesquieu, Rousseau and Voltaire influenced the Spanish intelligentsia
• Spaniards noticed the social and economic decadence of their country
• Historian Salvador de Madariaga: 'The Spaniards fought againts themselves'
• Spain drove the French out and gained independence in 1814
• Pacto del Pardo


  Contract that later resulted to frequent changes in leadership in the Philippines
• The Pacto denied well-intentioned governors-general the chance to carry out their programs, while opportunists among them found their terms of office too short that they engaged in amassing wealth while in power
• The effort to establish reform was thwarted by the succession of inefficient monarchs to the Spanish throne
• The split created within the royal family finally ended in a civil war in 1936
• England and France


  • Became industrialized and powerful nations while Spain was hesitant to accept the scientific and technological advancements
• Social system under Spanish rule

  • Predominantly feudalistic
  • Elite class exploited the masses
  • Classes existed in a master-slave relationship
  • All forms of taxation were exacted on the natives
  • Natives were assigned to forced labor
• The French government under Napoleon Bonaparte tried to dominate Spain but they were able to drive them away in 1814
• Monarch


  A hereditary constitutional sovereign, as a king or queen, etc.
• Social hierarchy


  • Peninsulares and insulares (top)
  • Mestizos, criollos and middle class (middle)
  • Natives or indios (bottom)
• Monarchy


  A state or country in which the supreme power either actually or nominally placed in the hands of a king, queen, or other monarch; the system of government in which power is vested in a monarch
• Monarchs


  • Ferdinand VII
  • Isabella II
• Consejo de Indias


  The council that governed the country
• Political groups


  • Liberals
  • Conservatives
• Ministerio de Ultramar


  Replaced the Consejo de Indias in 1863, extended peninsular laws to the Philippines
• Indifference and political ignorance of people which blocked the way to development
• Governor-General


  Headed the central administration in Manila, king's representative, exercised extensive powers
• Ferdinand VII


  Did not recognize the liberal reforms; he scorned the Constitution and the Cortes
• Enraged by the actions of Ferdinand, abolitionists rallied behind his brother Carlos
• Bodies created to check the powers of the Governor-General

  • Royal Audiencia (highest court)
  • Residencia (investigated predecessor for graft and corruption)
  • Visitadores (conducted secret investigations on graft and corrupt practices)
• It began a dynastic struggle which ended in civil war of 1936
• Liberals sought the help of liberal-minded army officers to reinforce the Constitution and restore peace
• They attempted to set up a Constitutional government despite objections from the king
• Power hierarchy


  • Central Government: Governor-General, Lt. Governor, advisory bodies
  • Alcaldias (Provincial Governments) led by alcalde mayores
  • Cabildo or Ayuntamiento (City Governments) led by alcaldes en ordinario and gobernadorcillo
  • Barrio or barangay led by cabeza de barangay
  • Cuadrilleros or guardia civil headed by alferez
• The strife went on after Ferdinand's death
• The absence of a male heir led to Isabella's ascension on the throne through the machinations of the Queen Mother
• Laws used in governing the Philippines

  • Leyes de Indias (royal decrees)
  • Las Siete Partidas, Las Leyes de Toro, Codigo Penal, Codigo Civil, Codigo de Commercio (Spanish laws)
• Military politicians under Isabella

  • Baldomero Espartero (moderate)
  • Ramon Ma Narvaez (cruel reactionary)
  • Leopoldo O'Donnell (moderate with reactionary tendencies)
  • Francisco Serrano (liberal)
  • Juan Prim (liberal)
• Absolutism


  The acceptance of or belief in absolute principles in political, philosophical, ethical, or theological matters
• Absolutism


  A political system in which one ruler or leader has complete power and authority over a country
• The Constitution was modified three times under them (1845, 1852, 1865)
• Sources of abuses in the administrative system

  • Appointment of officials with inferior qualifications
  • Overlapping of functions
  • Union of church and state
  • Positions filled through bidding
  • Kings' appointees ignorant of Philippines' needs
  • Lack of continuity in officials
  • Alcalde's powers as administrator, judge and military commander
  • Abuse of indulto para commerciar
  • Parish priests ignoring abuses
  • Incompetent and corrupt judges
  • Costly and delayed legal proceedings
  • Friars' abuses and land acquisition