Expounding on the Roots of Indolence Introduction Article published in La Solidaridad in 1891 Translated from Spanish by Charles Derbyshire Edited by Austin Craig It is a self-defense against the hatred and calumnies (lies) of the Spanish oppressors who brand the Indios/Filipinos as inert, unresponsive and useless; the workers as unskilled, untrained, misguided, irresponsibly haughty (self-important), intoxicated with show, romp and glory, and unconcerned with the intrinsic value of work Chapter 1 Rizal admits that indolence does exist among the Filipinos, but it cannot be attributed to the troubles and backwardness of the country; rather, it is the effect of the backwardness and troubles experienced by the country. According to Rizal, one must study the causes of indolence before curing it. Therefore, causes of indolence and elaboration on the circumstances that led to it must be dealt with. I. Admitting the Existence of Indolence A. “The word indolence is greatly misused in the sense of little love for work and lack of energy. B. “In the Middle Ages, and even in some Catholic countries now, the devil is blamed for everything that superstitious folk cannot understand. And just as in the Middle Ages, he who sought the explanation of phenomena outside of infernal influences was persecuted, so in the Philippines, worse happens to him who seeks the origin of the trouble outside of accepted beliefs. Admitting the Existence of Indolence C. “The consequence of this misuse is that there are some who are interested in stating it as a dogma and others in combating it as a ridiculous superstition, if not a punishable delusion. Yet it is not to be inferred from the misuse of a thing that it does not exist. D. “It is true that one has to work and struggle against climate, nature and men. E. “We must confess that indolence does actually and positively exist there; only that, instead of holding it to be the cause of the backwardness and the trouble, we regard it as the effect of the trouble and the backwardness, by fostering the development of a lamentable predisposition. II. Causes of Indolence A. Climate and Nature 1. “A hot climate requires of the individual quiet and rest, just as cold incites to labor and action. Level of indolence (from most to least)—Spanish>Frenchman>German 2. “White men are not made to stand in the severity of the climate—a Mistake.” 3. “A man can live in any climate, if he will only adapt himself to its requirements and conditions. What kills Europeans in hot countries is the abuse of liquors, the attempt to live according to the nature of his own country under another sky and another sun. II. Causes of Indolence • B. The establish of galleon trade cut of all previous associations of the Phils. With other countries in asia- Business was only conducted with Spain through Mexico. Because of this, the small business and handicraft industries that flourish during the pre Spanish period gradually disappear. • C. Spain also extinguished the native’s love of work-because of the implementation of Forced labor-(Wars between spain and other countires in Europe as well as muslim in Mindanao, Filipinos were compelled to work in shipyards, roads, other public works abandoning agriculture, industries, and commerce. • Spain did not protect the people against foreign invaders and pirates.-with no arms to defend themselves as a result the Filipinos were forced to become nomads, lost interest in cultivating their lands. II. Causes of Indolence E. There was a crook system of education-if it was considered an education. What was being taught in the school were repetitive prayers and other things that cannot be used by the students to lead the country to progress. F. The Spanish rulers were bad examples to despise manual labor-The Officials reported to work at noon and left early.
G. Gambling was established and widely propagated during those times.
Almost everyday there were cockfights and during feast days, the Govt. officials and friars were the first to engage in all sort of gambles. H. Crooked system of Religion.- the friars taught the naïve Filipinos that it was easier for the poor man to enter heaven and so they prefer not to work hard and remain poor so that they can easily go to heaven. I. The Taxes were extremely high- so much so that a huge portion of what they earned went to the govt. or to the friars. Chapter 2 • Rizal says that an illness will worsen if the wrong treatment is given. • The same applies to indolence. People, however, should not lose hope in fighting indolence. • Even before the Spaniards came, Rizal argues, the early Filipinos were already carrying out trade within provinces and with other neighboring countries; they were also engaged in agriculture and mining; some natives even spoke Spanish. All these disprove the notion that Filipinos are, by nature, indolent. Rizal ends by asking what then would have caused Filipinos to forget their past. ANALYSIS • It is important to note that indolence in the Philippines is a chronic malady, but not a hereditary one. Truth is, before the Spaniard arrived on these land, the natives were industriously conducting business with china, japan, arabia, Malaysia and other countries in the Middle East • 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 govt, and of the other forces of society, there were no voices, no leader, to sow the progress and to cultivate it. Chapter 5 • According to Rizal, all the causes of indolence can be reduced to two factors: limited training and education Filipino natives receive; and the lack of a national sentiment of unity among them. • The solution, according to Rizal, would be education and liberty. The Way to Reform • All attempt is useless that does not spring from a profound study of the evil that afflicts us. • “We are reminded of the gardener who tried to raise a tree planted in a small flower pot. The gardener spent his days tending and watering the handful of earth, he trimmed the plant frequently; pulled at it to lengthen it and hasten its growth; he grafted on it cedars and oaks, until one day the little tree died, leaving the man convinced that it belonged to a degenerate specie, attributing the failure of his experiment to everything except the lack of soil and his own ineffable folly. Without education and liberty, that soil and that sun of mankind, no reform is possible, no measure can give.”