The Lasting Effects of Spanish Colonization in the Philippines

The Spanish Colonization in the Philippines in relation to the history of Political Science can be seen in some aspects of the late Middle Ages. “The first and oldest function of government is to maintain peace and order”. In effects of spanish colonization in the Philippines essay this impact will be discussed. 

According to Kalaw the primary goal of the Spaniards was to spread Christianity in the Philippines. Due to the vagueness of the religious beliefs, it was easily introduced to the Filipinos. The conversion preserved that divine and natural law must be upheld at all times. However, it was difficult to separate religious and secular functions due to the Union of the Church and State in the Philippines. It was believed that divine law must prevail over state law. The Divine Right Theory proclaims that God created the state. “All are bound to obey the laws promulgated by the rulers. Questioning the authority of the rulers is similar to questioning the authority of God.” Buendia stated that people’s participation was manifested both by violent and nonviolent means during the pre-hispanic and colonial times. In a way, participation is a tradition and way of life for most Filipinos.

Republic of the Philippines: A Blip In Political Science History

The Philippines as a blip in Political Science history can truly be seen in the Enlightenment Period. According to Ballano (2016), the Philippine government is a product of Spanish colonization. Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and his predecessors introduced John Locke’s 3 components of power, the legislative, executive, and federative or judiciary, which the Filipinos were obligated to obey the rules and orders of the Spaniards, in exchange for safety and security.

Philippine Political Science is shaped not only by history but also by the contribution of heroes during the Philippine Revolution from 1880-1991. An example would be Andres Bonifacio, who led the Filipinos into a revolution in order to gain freedom and independence from the Spanish colonizers due to the abuses and restrictions.

Today, there are opportunities for some people to participate in governance processes due to the creation of organizations with the concept of Democracy, where the power lies on the people, most especially the poor and the marginalized. Similar to Montesquieu’s idea, there are other people who are rising on political experiences, but at the same time, they also recognize and respect the laws of nature. On the other hand, it is common for election candidates to make empty promises of bringing change to the country, but when they are already in power, they only satisfy their personal interests instead of dealing with what is truly needed of the people and its country. People in power abuse or misuse its authority that disrupts basic human rights.

McCoy described Philippine politics as an “Anarchy of Families,” where the rich compete for power in the control of resources in the country. There are also lawmakers who create bills and propose laws that only satisfy their personal interests, rather than thinking about the welfare of the people. Sadly, it is believed that real Democracy doesn’t exist in the Philippines because there has been an ongoing power struggle between the Church and government. They should be able to trust the people, especially the marginalized sectors of society, to pursue their vision for the development of the nation.

Issues in Philippine Politics

As politics is defined as the constrained use of social power, Politicians have the freedom to lead people of the state. However, it has to be assured that they won’t abuse their power, hence, they are restricted in their powers through the law.

A controversial issue in Philippine politics would be that many Politicians and Filipinos can’t distinguish between what is legal and moral. Some laws are based on morals. However, what the law is mandating is not always a good thing. There will always be people who will contradict ideas based on their feelings and beliefs. Some politicians create these policies in order to have discipline and order. For example, a Filipino can consider the law as moral when it is in-line or acceptable with the teachings of God and the Church. In the field of law and politics, one must always remember Aristotle’s statement: the law is reason free from passion. Personal prejudices and subjective interpretations must not interfere with decision and law making. By following the law, norms and standards will be maintained in society and government. People must also have the freedom to speak out whatever it is that they are facing with the problems of the country. In a way, there is a wide range of ideas and interests in the process of public decision-making, where the government and its citizens can learn from each other.

Addressing the Issues

The call for social change is a way to address these issues. According to Espiritu et al., if the changes are fast and many, the society is dynamic and if the changes are slow and hardly noticeable, the society is static. The authors said that Philippine social life is dynamic, although it is not necessarily a positive or negative social change. People need to work for social change to have collective action and it will serve as a stepping stone to the development. The government is the most powerful social agency. The laws must help the people keep up with changing conditions. An increasing government function would be individual freedom. The Philippine government must satisfy the needs of people without taking away the liberty of any individual.

Marginalized sectors of society should also have the power to express their knowledge and vision in order to contribute to the development of the Philippines. It is also a must to recognize and respect the diversity in language, religion, culture, and ideologies to find common ground and have creative thinking for progress.

Conclusion

To summarize, some aspects of the late Middle Ages can be seen in the Philippine Government of the Spanish Colonization. It was the start of the power struggle between the Church and government up until to this day. However, the Philippines as a blip in Political Science history can truly be seen in the Enlightenment Period. The Introduction of John Locke’s 3 components of power by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi has been the main form of government that was adapted by the Philippines.

What the law is presenting is not always moral, but it is a way to maintain discipline and give what is due to the people. The call for social change emphasizes on the people’s participation in governance to be able to contribute to the development of the society. Lastly, for the development to be sustainable, there must be respect for the diversity of identities to truly pave the way for progress.