RIZAL ON THE EFFECTS OF COLONIALISM (THE INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINO)

GEED 10013: Buhay at Mga Sinulat ni Rizal

A Reflection Paper

Presented to

Department of Marketing Management

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Major in Marketing Management

Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Sta. Mesa Campus

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements in Buhay at mga Sinulat ni Rizal

(BSBA-MM 2-3N)

By:

Crystal Gem C. Resurrecion

Professor Jacinto Jr. Valila

Subject Teacher

February 2023
 Rizal on the Effects of Colonialism (The Indolence of the Filipino)

Examine how Rizal keenly observed the effects of colonialism on Filipino creativity,
industriousness, perseverance, and other virtues. Write a 3-page paper on your examination.

Philippine national hero José Rizal wrote an article titled "The Indolence of the Filipinos,"
in which he criticized the repressive Spanish colonial authority in the Philippines and blamed it for
the perceived "indolence" (laziness) of the Filipinos. The essay argues that the Spanish colonial
government's exploitation and neglect of the Philippines and its people are the true causes of
poverty and lack of progress rather than an inherent flaw in the Filipino character. Rizal's essay
remains an important historical and cultural text in the Philippines. José Rizal, in his essay "The
Indolence of the Filipinos," argues that Spanish colonial rule had a stifling effect on the creativity,
industriousness, perseverance, and other positive traits of the Filipino people. Rizal believed that
colonialism hindered the development of these traits by discouraging innovation,
entrepreneurship, and initiative.

According to Rizal, the Spanish colonial authorities took control of the resources and
wealth of the Philippines and its people, creating a dependency culture and discouraging self-
reliance. The Spanish also imposed a strict social hierarchy, limiting most Filipinos' opportunities
for upward mobility. This made the people feel disheartened and unable to work hard to improve
their lot. Furthermore, Rizal criticized the Spanish colonial education system, designed to keep
the Filipinos in a state of ignorance and subservience. The education system was used to spread
Spanish culture and suppress the native Philippine culture, thereby undermining the creativity and
confidence of the Filipino people.

Filipinos were praised for their "indolence," tendency toward or actual practice of doing
nothing, sloth, or disdain for effort. Even Rizal concedes that Filipinos have a problem with
laziness, but he notes that there are likely other causes. In his piece, he acknowledged that
Filipinos have a propensity for slothfulness, but he suggested that multiple factors are at play.
According to Rizal, indolence is a chronic ailment that can only worsen if improper medicine is
administered. Since this is the case, the root causes of the apathy must be investigated before
any attempts at a cure. After that, he engaged in extensive independent research. He cites several
reasons, including global warming and political turmoil. Filipinos are completely unlike Europeans
due to the stark temperature difference between their home and mine. An hour of work in the
Philippines under the blistering sun is already a day's work in temperate countries. However,
individuals can live in any climate if they can adjust quickly enough. Another is that the
establishment of the Galleon Trade dissolved any ties that had existed before between the
Philippines and other Asian and Middle Eastern countries. As a result, Spain's commercial
relations were limited to Mexico. The successful trades and handicraft industries of the pre-
Columbian era eventually died out. Additionally, taxes were relatively high, and a sizable portion
of income went to either the government or the friars. They became passive due to being exploited
and having the motivation for their work removed. Moreover, by introducing forced labor, Spain
extinguished the Filipinos' drive to work. Spain should have protected its people from pirates and
foreign invaders.

Some schools may have been less than honest. The children were taught rote prayers
and other rituals, but they were unable to move the country forward. The students are subjected
to daily sermons that degrade human worth and systematically destroy their sense of pride.
However, Rizal argues that the native Filipinos' apathy stems from a lack of national sentiment
and togetherness, as well as a lack of training and education. When Filipinos looked for places to
learn, they often found neither, and those that did exist often lacked the means to teach anything
particularly useful. People were worried about their freedom due to false accusations and similar
issues, but Rizal argued that education and individual freedom were the key to reviving the Filipino
people. There was a questionable religious structure in place. Filipinos' beliefs and values were
reshaped by the nation's culture, which imposed its own God and set of laws on the country. The
native Filipinos were convinced by the friars that it was easier for a poor man to enter paradise,
therefore they chose not to work and remain poor. For all that, Rizal wanted us to know that
Filipino sloth wasn't to blame for the country's lackluster development; rather, he said, it was the
result of centuries of oppression at the hands of the Spanish. This included everything from abuse
and discrimination to government inaction to widespread corruption and false teachings
propagated by the Catholic church. Defending the Filipino people, he pointed out that they have
always been involved in economic activities like farming and trading, long before the arrival of the
Spaniards. Before the Spanish arrived, the Filipinos had a reputation for diligence and hard work.

Against their rulers' hatred and charges that the Filipinos are useless, the indolence of the
Filipinos is a defense mechanism. And with that, I'm afraid I have to disagree with people who
say Filipino employees lack competence, training, knowledge, and an appreciation for the value
of their labor. Keep in mind that the inability to organize into groups and other forms of deprivation
on what was supposed to be our soil contributed to the general weakness, lethargy, and lack of
initiative exhibited by the Filipino people. Foreign nations often cite Filipinos as examples of the
hardest-working people they have ever encountered. Indeed, Filipinos are highly sought after by
multinational corporations worldwide because of our dedication to their work. One of the few
glaring examples that support this assertion is the daily exodus of thousands of Filipinos seeking
a better life for themselves and their children abroad. There is no evidence to support their
contention that Filipinos are unmotivated. The Filipino workforce is regarded as some of the most
reliable and hard-working in the world. Instead of being the reason for the Philippines'
development gap, Filipino laziness is more accurately seen as a symptom of it. As a result of the
Spanish colonizers' treatment of the Filipinos, the people of that country grew lazy. They occupied
Philippine land and made Filipinos work for it without compensation. Every culture and language
have its name to describe the state of laziness. Degrees are generally the same throughout all
nations, though they may vary somewhat. It's not something unique to Filipinos but rather
something shared by everyone.

In conclusion, Rizal observed that colonialism profoundly and negatively impacted the
Filipino people's creativity, industriousness, perseverance, and other positive traits. He believed
that the Spanish colonial rule hindered the progress of the Philippines and its people and that the
key to unlocking the true potential of the Filipino people was to break free from colonialism and
embrace a new, more progressive future. Moreover, I totally believed that Filipinos are
hardworking and they are so much more.
 REFERENCES

National Historical Commission. (1964). Political and Historical Writings. Jose Rizal. (Volume 7,
pp. 227 – 265). Retrieved from
https://issuu.com/filipinasheritagelibrary/docs/political_and_historical_writings_-
?e=18015266/13725577

The indolence of the Filipino - web.seducoahuila.gob.mx. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://web.seducoahuila.gob.mx/biblioweb/upload/the_indolence_of_the_filipino_by_jos%
C3%83%C2%A9_rizal.pdf