THE SELECTED ESAYS OF RIZAL

THE INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINOS

La Indolencia de los Filipinos, more popularly known in its English version, "The
Indolence of the Filipinos," is an exploratory essay written by Philippine national
hero Dr. Jose Rizal, to explain the alleged idleness of his people during the Spanish
colonization. The Indolecence of Filipino was an essay written by Dr. Jose Rizal when
hes in Paris. Published in La Solidaridad in 5 instalments, July 15 to September 15,
1890.
SUMMARY
The Indolence of the Filipinos, means "little love for work, lack of activities."
He added that indolecence means the inclination to live off the labor of others.
The Indolence of the Filipinos is a study of the causes why the people did not,
as was said, work hard during the Spanish regime. Rizal pointed out that long
before the coming of the Spaniards, the Filipinos were industrious and hardworking.
The Spanish reign brought about a decline in economic activities because of certain
causes:
First, the establishment of the Galleon Trade cut off all previous associations
of thePhilippines with other countries in Asia and the Middle East. As a
result, business was only conducted with Spain through Mexico. Because of this,
the small businesses and handicraft industries that flourished during the preSpanish period gradually disappeared.
Second, Spain also extinguished the natives love of work because of the
implementation of forced labor. Because of the wars between Spain and other
countries in Europe as well as the Muslims in Mindanao, the Filipinos were
compelled to work in shipyards, roads, and other public works, abandoning
agriculture, industry, and commerce.
Third, Spain did not protect the people against foreign invaders and pirates.
With no arms to defend themselves, the natives were killed, their houses burned,
and their lands destroyed. As a result of this, the Filipinos were forced to become
nomads, lost interest in cultivating their lands or in rebuilding the industries that
were shut down, and simply became submissive to the mercy of God.
Fourth, there was a crooked system of education, if it was to be considered
aneducation. What was being taught in the schools were repetitive prayers and
other things that could not be used by the students to lead the country to progress.
There were no courses in Agriculture, Industry, etc., which were badly needed by
the Philippines during those times.
Fifth, the Spanish rulers were a bad example to despise manual labor. The
officials reported to work at noon and left early, all the while doing nothing in line
with their duties. The women were seen constantly followed by servants who
dressed them and fanned them personal things which they ought to have done for
themselves.

Sixth, gambling was established and widely propagated during those times.
Almost everyday there were cockfights, and during feast days, the government
officials and friars were the first to engange in all sorts of bets and gambles.
Seventh, there was a crooked system of religion. The friars taught the nave
Filipinos that it was easier for a poor man to enter heaven, and so they preferred not
to work and remain poor so that they could easily enter heaven after they died.
Lastly, the taxes were extremely high, so much so that a huge portion
of what they earned went to the government or to the friars. When the object of
their labor was removed and they were exploited, they were reduced to inaction.
Rizal admitted that the Filipinos did not work so hard because they were
wise enough to adjust themselves to the warm, tropical climate. An hours work
under that burning sun, in the midst of pernicious influences springing from nature
in activity, is equal to a days labor in a temperate climate.
ANALYSIS 1
Based on the essay of Dr. Jose Rizal, Filipinos before was not indolence before
Spaniards came to colonize our country. They were industrious and workable. There
trading business were associated with many countries in China, Middle east, etc.
During the Spanish period, there were big influenced and changes that happen;
they propagated of becoming indolence attributed to our race because of the
reason that stated above because Spanish wanted to achieve a good life without
hardships and work. And Filipinos wants to become one of them.
After all, Filipinos wanted to study and learn but sufficient school facilities, lacked of
schools and present useful knowledge. They wanted to establish business industry,
but they have no capital and protection from government. They also want to
establish industries and agriculture to cultivate land but the taxes were so high to
pay and the ruler exploits. Another thing that might cause indolence is lack of unity
of Filipino. The people have no strength to fight the Spaniards to hinder the plans of
the Spanish government to sow progress and to cultivate. So the country remained
lifeless and invisible.
As Rizal stated in his essay, a man in the Philippines is an individual; he is not
merely a citizen of a country. This means were not made to be slaves/ puppet/ a
citizen of other country to work for them but only a citizen of its own motherland,
Philippines.
ANALYSIS 2
It is important to note that indolence in the Philippines is a chronic malady, but not
a hereditary one. Truth is, before the Spaniards arrived on these lands, the natives
were industriously conducting business with China, Japan, Arabia, Malaysia, and
other countries in the Middle East. The reasons for this said indolence were clearly
stated in the essay, and were not based only on presumptions, but were grounded
on fact taken from history.

Another thing that we might add that had caused this indolence, is the lack of unity
among the Filipino people. In the absence of unity and oneness, the people did not
have the power to fight the hostile attacks of the government and of the other
forces of society. There would also be no voice, no leader, to sow progress and to
cultivate it, so that it may be reaped in due time. In such a condition,
the Philippines remained a country that was lifeless, dead, simply existing and not
living. As Rizal stated in conclusion, a man in the Philippines is an individual; he is
not merely a citizen of a country.
It can clearly be deduced from the writing that the cause of the indolence attributed
to our race is Spain: When the Filipinos wanted to study and learn, there were no
schools, and if there were any, they lacked sufficient resources and did not present
more useful knowledge; when the Filipinos wanted to establish their businesses,
there wasnt enough capital nor protection from the government; when the Filipinos
tried to cultivate their lands and establish various industries, they were made to pay
enormous taxes and were exploited by the foreign rulers.
It is not only the Philippines, but also other countries, that may be called indolent,
depending on the criteria upon which such a label is based. Man cannot work
without resting, and if in doing so he is considered lazy, they we could say that all
men are indolent. One cannot blame a country that was deprived of its dignity, to
have lost its will to continue building its foundation upon the backs of its people,
especially when the fruits of their labor do not so much as reach their lips. When
we spend our entire lives worshipping such a cruel and inhumane society, forced
upon us by aliens who do not even know our motherland, we are destined to tire
after a while. We are not fools, we are not puppets who simply do as we are
commanded we are human beings, who are motivated by our will towards the
accomplishment of our objectives, and who strive for the preservation of our race.
When this fundamental aspect of our existence is denied of us, who can blame us if
we turn idle?
TO THE YOUNG WOMEN OF MALOLOS
Jose Rizals legacy to Filipino women is embodied in his famous essay entitled, To
the Young Women of Malolos, where he addresses all kinds of women mothers,
wives, the unmarried, etc. and expresses everything that he wishes them to keep in
mind.
To the young woman of Malolos is an essay written by Jose Rrizal while he was in
London upon the request of Marcelo H. Del Pilar.
SYMBOL
The yellow roses symbolize love, purity and peace to the woman of Malolos. They
also show education is important to each person. And all Filipinos have a hidden
talent and ability to raise the living.
SUMMARY

To the Women of Malolos was originally written in Tagalog. Rizal penned this
writing when he was in London, in response to the request of Marcelo H. del Pilar.
The salient points contained in this letter are as follows:
1.
The rejection of the spiritual authority of the friars not all of the priests in
the country that time embodied the true spirit of Christ and His Church. Most of
them were corrupted by worldly desires and used worldly methods to effect change
and force discipline among the people.
2.

The defense of private judgment

3.
Qualities Filipino mothers need to possess as evidenced by this portion of
his letter, Rizal is greatly concerned of the welfare of the Filipino children and the
homes they grow up in.
4.

Duties and responsibilities of Filipino mothers to their children

5.
Duties and responsibilities of a wife to her husband Filipino women are
known to be submissive, tender, and loving. Rizal states in this portion of his letter
how Filipino women ought to be as wives, in order to preserve the identity of the
race.
6.

Counsel to young women on their choice of a lifetime partner

RIZALS MESSAGE TO FILIPINO WOMEN

Jose Rizal was greatly impressed by the fighting spirit that the young women of
Malolos had shown. In his letter, he expresses great joy and satisfaction over the
battle they had fought. In this portion of Rizals letter, it is obvious that his ultimate
desire was for women to be offered the same opportunities as those received by
men in terms of education. During those days young girls were not sent to school
because of the universal notion that they would soon only be taken as wives and
stay at home with the children. Rizal, however, emphasizes on freedom of thought
and the right to education, which must be granted to both boys and girls alike.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF FILIPINO MOTHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN
Rizal stipulates a number of important points in this portion of his letter to the
young women of Malolos. The central idea here, however, is that whatever a
mother shows to her children is what the children will become also. If the mother is
always kissing the hand of the friars in submission, then her children will grow up to
be sycophants and mindless fools who do nothing but do as they are told, even if
the very nature of the task would violate their rights as individuals.
QUALITIES MOTHERS HAVE TO POSSESS
Rizal enumerates the qualities Filipino mothers have to possess:
1.
Be a noble wife.
2.
Rear her children in the service of the state here Rizal gives reference to the
women of Sparta who embody this quality

3.

Set standards of behavior for men around her.

RIZALS ADVICE TO UNMARRIED MEN AND WOMEN

Jose Rizal points out to unmarried women that they should not be easily taken by
appearances and looks, because these can be very deceiving. Instead, they should
take heed of mens firmness of character and lofty ideas. Rizal further adds that
there are three things that a young woman must look for a man she intends to be
her husband:
1.
A noble and honored name
2.

A manly heart

3.

A high spirit incapable of being satisfied with engendering slaves.

ANALYSIS
To the Women of Malolos centers around five salient points (Zaide &Zaide, 1999):
1.
Filipino mothers should teach their children love of God, country and
fellowmen.
2.
Filipino mothers should be glad and honored, like Spartan mothers, to offer
their sons in defense of their country.
3.

Filipino women should know how to protect their dignity and honor.

4.
Filipino women should educate themselves aside from retaining their good
racial values.
5.
Faith is not merely reciting prayers and wearing religious pictures. It is living
the real Christian way with good morals and manners.
In recent times, it seems that these qualities are gradually lost in the way Filipino
women conduct themselves. There are oftentimes moments where mothers forget
their roles in rearing their children because of the overriding idea of having to earn
for the family to supplement their husbands income. Although there is nothing
negative about working hard for the welfare of the family, there must always be
balance in the way people go through life. Failure in the home cannot be
compensated for by any amount of wealth or fame.
THE PHILIPPINES A CENTURY HENCE
The Philippines a Century Hence is an essay written by Philippine national hero
Jose Rizal to forecast the future of the country within a hundred years. Rizal felt
that it was time to remind Spain that the circumstances that ushered in the French
Revolution could have a telling effect for her in the Philippines.
A socio-political essay wrote by Jose Rizal. It is one of the most significant political
works of the Filipino Reform movement in Spain. This essay, published in La
Solidaridad, of Madrid, running through the issues from September, 1889, to
January, 1890, starts by analyzing the various causes of the miseries suffered by the
Filipino people

This essay, published in La Solidaridad starts by analyzing the various causes of the
miseries suffered by the Filipino people:
1.
Spains implementation of her military policies because of such laws, the
Philippine population decreased dramatically. Poverty became more rampant than
ever, and farmlands were left to wither. The family as a unit of society was
neglected, and overall, every aspect of the life of the Filipino was retarded.
2.
Deterioration and disappearance of Filipino indigenous culture when Spain
came with the sword and the cross, it began the gradual destruction of the native
Philippine culture. Because of this, the Filipinos started losing confidence in their
past and their heritage, became doubtful of their present lifestyle, and eventually
lost hope in the future and the preservation of their race.
3.
Passivity and submissiveness to the Spanish colonizers one of the most
powerful forces that influenced a culture of silence among the natives were the
Spanish friars. Because of the use of force, the Filipinos learned to submit
themselves to the will of the foreigners.
The question then arises as to what had awakened the hearts and opened the
minds of the Filipino people with regards to their plight. Eventually, the natives
realized that such oppression in their society by foreign colonizers must no longer
be tolerated.
One question Rizal raises in this essay is whether or not Spain can indeed prevent
the progress of the Philippines:
1.
Keeping the people uneducated and ignorant had failed. National
consciousness had still awakened, and great Filipino minds still emerged from the
rubble.
2.
Keeping he people impoverished also came to no avail. On the contrary,
living a life of eternal destitution had allowed the Filipinos to act on the desire for a
change in their way of life. They began to explore other horizons through which
they could move towards progress.
3.
Exterminating the people as an alternative to hindering progress did not work
either. The Filipino race was able to survive amidst wars and famine, and became
even more numerous after such catastrophes. To wipe out the nation altogether
would require the sacrifice of thousands of Spanish soldiers, and this is something
Spain would not allow.
Spain, therefore, had no means to stop the progress of the country. What she needs
to do is to change her colonial policies so that they are in keeping with the needs of
the Philippine society and to the rising nationalism of the people.
What Rizal had envisioned in his essay came true. In 1898, the Americans wrestled
with Spain to win the Philippines, and eventually took over the country. Theirs was
a reign of democracy and liberty. Five decades after Rizals death, the Philippines
gained her long-awaited independence. This was in fulfillment of what he had
written in his essay: History does not record in its annals any lasting domination by

one people over another, of different races, of diverse usages and customs, of
opposite and divergent ideas. One of the two had to yield and succumb.
SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS
Rizal envision in his essay were became come true. In 1898, the Americans wrestled
with Spain to win the Philippines, and eventually took over the country. There was a
reign of democracy and liberty. Five decades after Rizals death, the Philippines
gained her long-awaited independence. This was in fulfillment of what he had
written in his essay: History does not record in its annals any lasting domination by
one people over another, of different races, of diverse usages and customs, of
opposite and divergent ideas. One of the two had to yield and succumb.
Before the Spanish pre colonization in the Philippines to spread Christianize,
Filipino people are pure natives and Muslims. They have their own government that
consist of Barangays and lead by Datus, Raha, etc. They trade to near countries
like China and they also have their own culture, songs, poems, language, traditions,
writings, laws and beliefs.
When Spanish came, Filipinos abandoned and forgotten their own beliefs
and culture. They are influenced by the foreign cultures and traditions that they
dont understand. In the adaptation of others tradition, Spaniards insulted Filipinos.
Because of the insult and pain given by the Spaniards, they are awake for the love
of themselves. They wanted to have reform and changes; if not there have a
revolution happened. The youth before that have money and ability, they study in
Spain and lead the revolution.
The purpose of this essay is, Filipino asking reform to the Spaniards because
of war between the Spain. According to the essay, Philippines have a representation
in the Spanish court and having freedom in some reforms that they asked. The
reform said includes the La Liga Filipina of Rizal. In the conclusion, Rizal said in
question Spain, must we some day tell Filipinas that thou hast no ear for her woes
and that of she wishes to be saved, she must redeem herself?