Need of more study of Philippine Economic Development.
The Spanish writers, and with them the Filipinos as well as, to a
great extent, writers of Philippine treatises in other languages,
have over-emphasized the political history of the Philippines. The
history of this country has been regarded but as the history of the
Spaniards in it, and not of its people, the Filipinos. [1] Hence
arises the need of studying our history from the point of view of
the development of our people, especially to trace and show the part
played by them in Philippine social progress as a whole. [2]
The study of the economic history of a country is important also
because economic forces play a great part in the development of any
people. Indeed, some claim that all history may be explained in terms
of economic motives. This is known as the economic interpretation
of history. [3] Without going into the controversy centering around
this theory, we can readily see that what we know as civilization
has a two-fold basis, the physical and the psychical. And it is only
after the physical basis is secured, that further psychical advance
is possible. "Among all species, and in every stage of evolution,
the extent of aggregation and its place or position are determined
by external physical conditions. Even when men have become united by
sympathies and beliefs, the possibility of perpetuating their union is
a question of the character and resources of their environment. The
distribution of food is the dominating fact. Animals and men dwell
together where a food supply is found, or may be certainly and easily
produced. Other physical circumstances of the environment, however,
such as temperature and exposure, surface and altitude, which make life
in some places comparatively easy, in others difficult or impossible,
exert an influence not to be overlooked." (Franklin Henry Giddings,
The Principles of Sociology, p. 82. New York: 1911.)
We need not trace the history of early civilizations to show the
influence exerted by physical factors. We need only to recall the
motives, familiar to all, which led to the discovery of America,
namely, the closing of the trade routes to the East through the
conquest of the Turks. And the history of this country itself furnishes
many illustrations. Both ancient and modern writers have had a good
deal to say about the strategic position of the Philippine Islands
in relation to the countries bordering around the Pacific Ocean. [4]
It was that central geographical position which explained the marked
predominance of Manila as a trade depot over all the other ports in the
Orient, at one time in our history. That was, furthermore, the reason
why the Spaniards kept the country; they wanted to use it "as a means
to be nearer, and to reach more quickly, the rich country of spices,
and then the continent of Asia, Japan, and the Orient in general." [5]
Finally, we should distinguish the various causes that explain
historical events. For example, a good deal of what has been known
as the religious question in this country, is not concerned with
religion at all, but chiefly with economics. It is not always easy to
distinguish these various causes; a fact which only goes to explain
the one-sided point of view which has prevailed till the present. But,
that the questions connected with the means of getting a living were
considered paramount, even long before the formal exposition of the
economic interpretation of history, may be seen from the words of
the provincials of the religious orders in a remonstrance addressed
to the governor and captain-general of the Philippines, wherein they
depicted the deplorable conditions in the Islands:
"Third, all the Christian Indians would be more steadfast and rooted
in the holy faith, and would become effective and most suitable
instruments for (gaining) new conversions of infidels (and) apostates,
the infidels themselves beholding the abundant wealth and profit,
and other benefits, of the Christian Indians; FOR IT IS THE TEMPORAL
WELFARE EVIDENT TO THEIR SENSES WHICH, AS EXPERIENCE TEACHES US,
STRONGLY INFLUENCES BOTH CLASSES OF INDIANS, TO BE CONVERTED OR TO
MAINTAIN THEMSELVES IN THE CHRISTIAN FAITH." [6]
Divisions of present work.
The present work is built around a group of ideas briefly summarized
as follows: The first three chapters portray the industries and
commerce at the time of the coming of the Spaniards; and explain
the causes that led to their decline; the fourth chapter dwells
upon the era of restriction, and the Manila-Acapulco trade, which,
for over two centuries, dominated this country, and has had such
depressing effect upon economic growth; the last chapter takes up
the era of liberalism, during the nineteenth century, and shows how
the opening of the Philippines to foreign influence resulted in the
development of its natural resources. Any attempt to trace Philippine
economic development in the past three centuries must necessarily
start, not so much with a detailed account of how the industries
developed as with an exposition of how they were not developed. On
the other hand, the remarkable social progress of the last half of
the nineteenth century, following the opening of the markets of the
world to Philippine products, is an encouraging indication of probable
social advance yet to be attained.
I. AGRICULTURE AND LANDHOLDING AT THE TIME OF THE DISCOVERY AND
CONQUEST
Agriculture.
At the time of the arrival of the Spaniards, agriculture in the
Philippines was in a comparatively prosperous condition. [7] The
Filipinos cultivated rice, which, as today, formed their chief article
of food. They grew also sugar-cane, coconuts, indigo, sweet potatoes,
and other tubers, various kinds of bananas, the betel-nut palm, the
tamarind, lansone, and several varieties of legumes, [8] The hemp
plant was likewise grown, and as we shall see later on, was used
at the time for making the so-called "sinamay" cloth. [9] Cotton
was cultivated, and furnished the material for weaving. Among the
native fruits mentioned by Morga are: "sanctors, mabolos, tamarinds,
nancas, custard-apples, papaws, guavas, and everywhere many oranges,
of all kinds--large and small, sweet and sour; citrons, lemons, and
ten or twelve varieties of very healthful and palatable bananas." [10]
With the coming of the Spaniards, very many plants which are commonly
considered to be indigenous in this country, were introduced. [11]
The most important economic plant imported since Spanish discovery
was the tobacco, which today forms one of the staple crops, though
it took many years before it came to anything like its present
position. The cacao nut also was imported. Among the most commonly
known of the others are; maize, peanut, papaya, and, also pineapple,
and sweet potato. [12] All of these plants came from Mexico. [13]
Coffee was introduced from Europe. [14]
Live stock.
The Filipinos at the time of discovery had domestic animals, dogs,
cats, pigs, goats and buffaloes, i.e. carabaos. [15] "There were no
horses, mares, or asses in the islands, until the Spaniards had them
brought from China and brought them from Nueva Espana." [16]
The Kings of Spain in their instructions to the governors-general
of the Philippines were solicitous about this matter of supplying
this country with sufficient live stock to carry on farm work. [17]
The early accounts of expeditions to find food for the Spaniards show
that chickens were raised by the Filipinos. [18]
It has been truly said that the Filipino has been affected by the
centuries of Spanish sovereignty far less on his material side than
he has on his spiritual. [19] For as we read the early accounts
about agricultural life at the time of discovery and conquest,
and compare it with that of a decade ago, we do not find any marked
change or advance. [20] The early Filipinos knew how to construct
implements for the cultivation of their rice, such as for hulling
and separating the chaff from the grain; and they had wooden mortars
and pestles for pounding and whitening rice. Then, the women did most
of the work of pounding the rice for use, whereas today, the men do
it. [21] Furthermore, in the early days, the system of irrigating
the rice fields that is used today was known and practiced. [22]
Of course, the so-called caingin method of cultivation prevailed,
but the considerable amounts of rice which at various times were
contributed by the Filipinos for the support of the Spanish conquerors
could not have been produced under such a crude system of cultivation,
but only by the more advanced one, which closely resembled that of
the present time. [23]
Land holding.
The lands of the ancient Filipinos were divided among the whole
barangay, so that each one had his holding and no resident of one
barangay was allowed to cultivate lands in another barangay unless he
had acquired them by inheritance, gift, or purchase. In some barangays
the lands belonged to the chief through purchase from the original
owners. In some localities the chiefs or principal personages also
owned the fisheries, and their rights were respected. [24]
With the coming of the Spaniards, lands were assigned to the colonists,
of which they were to have perpetual ownership after four years'
residence. [25] Encomiendas of the Indians were also granted to
the discoverers and conquerors. [26] It is in connection with the
administration of these encomiendas that we find in the annals of the
Philippines many accounts of abuses and extortions practiced on the
natives, and the consequent revolts. It must not, however, be supposed
that the Filipinos were actually dispossessed of their lands by the
king; for, although according to the constitutional law of the Indies
the land and the soil in all colonies were the domain of the king [27]
and, therefore, could be assigned to deserving persons, there were
royal decrees intended to protect the natives in their time-honored
possession. [28] The question of land ownership has, however, from
earliest times been the source of conflicts between the religious
orders and the people. Without going into the technical,--and perhaps
today, academic,--question of which side had the better legal argument,
the fact cannot be denied that the Filipinos had always protested,
throughout the various centuries of contact with the Spaniards,
against what they considered to be usurpation of their lands. [29]