ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL

CARICATURE during the American period

• The transition from the Spanish Colonial Period to the American
occupation period demonstrated different strands of changes and
shifts in culture, society ,and politics. The Americans drastically
introduced democracy to the nascent nation and the consequences
were far from ideal. During the American period that Filipinos were
introduced to different manifestations of modernity like
healthcare, modern transportation, and media.This ushered in a
more open and freer press.
• The post- independence and the post Filipino-American period I
nthe Philippines were experienced differently by Filipinos coming
from different classes. The upper principalia class experienced
economic prosperity with the opening up of the Philippine economy
to the United States but the majority of the poor Filipino remained
poor, desperate, and victims of state repression.
• The selected cartoons illustrate not only the opinion of certain media outfits
about the Philippine society during the American period but also paint a brad
image of society and politics under the United States.

• In the arena of politics, we see the price that Filipino paid for the democracy
modeled after the Americans . First, Filipino politicians at that time did not
understand well enough the essence of democracy and the accompanying
democratic institutions and processes. This can be seen the following :The rising
dynastic politics in Tondo depicted in the cartoons published by The
Independent .Patronage also became influential and powerful, not only
between clients and patron but also but also between the newly formed
political parties composed of the elite and the United States. Depicted in the
cartoon where Uncle Sam ,represents United States provided dole-outs for the
members of Federalista while the Nacionalista politicians looked on and waited
for their turn.Thus , the essence of competing political parties to enforce
choices among the voters was cancelled out. The problem continues up to the
present where politicians transfer from one party to another depending on
which party was powerful in specific periods of time.
• The transition from a Catholic=centered, Spanish –Filipino society to an
imperial American-assimilated one, and its complications, were also
depicted in the cartoons. One example is the unprecedented increase of
motorized vehicles in the city. Automobiles become a popular mode of
transportation in the city and led to the emergence of taxis. However, the
laws and policy implementation was mediocre. This resulted in the
increasing colorum and unlicensed vehicles transporting people. The rules
governing the issuance of driver’s license was loose and traffic police could
not be bothered by rampant violations of traffic rules. This is a direct
consequence of the drastic urbanization of the Philippine society.
• \ Another example is the” sexual revolution” as what Mc Coy called it
which occurred in the 1930’s. Young people, as early as that period,
disturbed the conservative Filipino mindset by engaging in daring sexual
activities in public spaces like cinemas. Here, we can see how that period
was the meeting point between the conservative past and the liberated
future of the Philippines.
• Lastly, the cartoons also illustrated the conditions of the Filipinos in the
Philippines now governed by the United States. From the looks of it ,
nothing much has changed. Example, a cartoon depicting how police
authorities oppress petty Filipino criminals while turning a blind eye on
hoarders who monopolize goods in their huge warehouses(presumably
Chinese merchants)
• The other cartoon depicts how American controlled Filipinos through
seemingly harmless Americans objects. By controlling their consciousness
and mentality. Americans got to control and subjugate Filipinos.