Ideological Framework

The Ideological Framework Economic prosperity spawned dissatisfy when the native beneficiaries saw a bare-assed world of affluence opening for themselves and their grade. They attained a new assuredness and hence, a new ending that of equality with the peninsulares not in the abstract, nevertheless in operable economic and political harm. Hispanization became the conscious manifestation of economic struggle, of the desire to realize the potentialities offered by the period of working out and progress.Hispanization and assimilation constituted the ideologic expression of the economic motivations of affluent indios and mestizos. Equality with the Spaniard meant equality of opportunity. But they did not realize as yet that real equality must be based on discipline freedom and independence. The were still in the initial phases of subject areaist consciousness a consciousness made come-at-able by the market situation of the time. The lordly friar who had been partly respons ible for the isolation of the islands became the target of attacks.Anti-clericalism became the ideological style of the period. p. 134 These then were the salient economic and ideological features of Rizals time. A true historical review would build that great men are those who read the time and have a deeper understanding of reality. It is their insights that make them familiar(predicate) with their periods and which enable them to articulate the needs of the people. To a large extent, Rizal, the ilustrado, fulfilled this function, for in voicing the goals of his class he had to include the aspirations of the entire people.Though the aims of this class were modified to reformist measures, he expressed its demands in terms of human liberty and human dignity and thus encompassed the wider aspirations of all the people. This is not to say that he was conscious that these were class goals rather, that typical of his class, he equated class interest with peoples welfare. He did this in good faith, unaware of each basic contradictions between the two. He was the product of his society and as such could be expected to enunciate only those aims that were within the competence of his class.Moreover, social contradictions had not ripened sufficiently in his time to let loose clearly the essential disparateness between class and national goals. Neither could he have transcended his class limitations, for his cultural upbringing was such that affection for Spain and Spanish civilization precluded the idea of breaking the chains of colonialism. He had to become a Spaniard first before becoming a Filipino. 8 As a social commentator, as the exposer of oppression, he performed a remarkable task.His writings were part of the tradition of protest which blossomed into revolution, into a separatist movement. His pilot light aim of elevating the indio to the level of Hispanization of the peninsular so that the country could be assimilated, could become a province of Spain, was alter into its opposite. Instead of making the Filipinos closer to Spain, the propaganda gave root to separation. The drive for Hispanization was transformed into the development of a distinct national consciousness. Rizal contributed much to the growth of this national consciousness.It was a contribution not only in terms of propaganda but in something positive that the present generation of Filipinos will owe to him and for which they will honor him by complementary the task which he so nobly began. He may have had a different and limited goal at the time, a goal that for us is already passe, something we take for granted. However, for p. 135 his time this limited goal was already a big step in the right direction. This contribution was in the realm of Filipino nationhood the winning of our name as a race, the recognition of our people as one, and the elevation of the indio into Filipino.