#TodayinHistory in 1889, José #Rizal published the 1st part of a series of 4 essays featured in the Propaganda Movement newspaper La Solidaridad, entitled "Filipinas dentro de cien años" (Philippines a Century Hence) where he predicted what would happen to #PH in 100 yrs. THREAD.
It is one of Rizal's finest political essays. In it, he laid out the predicament of #PH as a Spanish colony, where Filipinos were never heard, never had proper representation in gov, & where corruption ran rampant, pushing the people to the edge.
Rizal argued on the importance of a free press, in such a distant Spanish colony as the Philippines. He believed that a press that is truly free tells the real conditions of the country whether it hurts the political establishment or not.
He then extrapolated the possible trajectory of the country in 100 years if Spain continued w/ the status quo. Rizal reminded Spain of the revolutions that plagued its neighbors & colonies, & that the desire of people for progress, equality, & justice could never be stopped.
Rizal rendered 2 choices:
- If Spain granted Filipinos their rights, it won't lose the Philippines.
- If it continued onto "exploitation" then "however great may be the loyalty of Filipinos, it will be impossible to hinder the operations of the inexorable laws of history."
Rizal predicted:
- If Filipinos achieve independence, England, Germany & France wouldn't "dare to take up what Spain has been unable to hold."
- China would be too busy being partitioned by the West.
- Japan would be more attracted to Korea, & too fearful of England & Russia.
- The United States "may someday dream of foreign possession" but it's territory isn't congested, plus the European colonial powers wouldn't allow it to become a rival. And that colonialism/imperialism is "contrary to her traditions." Rizal would be proven wrong on this.
Rizal then declared: "Very likely #PH will defend w/ inexpressible valor the liberty secured at the price of so much blood and sacrifice.... like the bird that leaves its cage, [it] will recover the pristine virtues that are gradually dying out & will again be advocates of peace"
But Rizal made a disclaimer: "...the prophecy based on the best probabilities, may err through remote and insignificant causes." Rizal ended persuading Spain to listen to the people's plight or else instead of "sympathy & love," it will garner "contempt & anger."
The essay shows #Rizal's clear grasp of geopolitics in Europe, in the Americas, & even in East Asia, drawn from his prolific reading & experience gained from traveling the world—seeing all these contending forces from the perspective of the Philippines.
Photo:
- A front page of La Solidaridad, 31 March 1890, from @AskNLP
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