Indolence and the

Spanish Colonial Rule

Dr. Jose Rizal
Marcelo H. del Pilar

Graciano Lopez Jaena

Shortly After Rizal Published
his firt novel, Noli Me
Tangere, became an active
contributor to the biweekly
newspaper, La Solidaridad.

Two of his essays published

on the newspaper were Sobre
La Indonecia de los Filipinos
(1890) and Los Agricultores
Filipinos (1889)
In Sobre La Indolencia de los Filipinos,
Rizal acknowledged Gregorio
Sancianco's El Progreso de Filipinas
Both in a physical sense (as a
(1881) and recognized the evident
tropical country) and in a
indolence of the Filipinos.
sociopolitical sense (in relation to the

social disorders rooted in the Spanish

However, he believed that such
rule).
indolence was not inherent but was
caused by the climate of the
Philippines.
 He compared it to an illness by
saying that the indolence of the
Filipinos must be properly diagnosed
before a prescription could be made.

Filipino males 16 to 60 years old

Specifically, there were the economic
for a 40- day period.
policies implemented by the
Spaniards that required Filipinos to
pay unreasonable taxes or tributo
and render polo y servicio that
mandated forced labor on
In the essay, Rizal linked two factors
to the indolence of the Filipinos. Second was the lack of national

sentiment of unity among
First was the limited training and Filipinos caused by the stigma
education provided to the Filipinos for that Filipino culture was inferior
the Spanish government feared to foreign culture which
possible insubordination and compelled humble submission.
retaliation.
Los Agricultores Filipinos is developed
by Spaniards as a means to social
and economic advancement. The farm he bought in Talisay

used modern agricultural
By means of this, Jose Rizal method he observed in Europe.
commended Los Agricultores Filipinos. Jose Rizal encouraged the

farmers in Dapitan to use
Joze Rizal dedicated his time in fertilizers and farm machines
tending the farm he bought in Talisay for maximimizing the lands.
when he was exiled in Dapitan.
 Jose Rizal was concerned in
Filipino farmers and they are
recommended to the Minister
of Colonies.

Rizal pointed that calamities is

not to be blame in poor harvest
of Filipino farmers.

The problem is the colonial

policies such as polo y servicio
which minimized the
productivity of farmers.
 Rizal urges the farmers to use
defensive protection such as guns.
Rizal urgently demanded from

the Ministry of Colonies to

These guns defend themselves
provide solutions to these
against lawless elements in the
problems.
problem of banditry and thievery in
rural farms.