Conditions in Europe

Conditions in Spain in the 19th Century

 Changes happening in Europe (and elsewhere) in the

19th Century affected, in the positive and negative
way, the political and social life in Spain.

 Among these changes were the French Revolution, the

Napoleonic Wars, the advent of the Industrial
Revolution, and the revolt of Spain’s Latin American
Colonies and the flourishing of modern philosophies.

 In Spain, conservatives and liberals made a

compromise to alternate in the control of
government.
 This contract was known as Pacto del Pardo, which later
resulted to frequent changes in leadership in the
Philippines.

 While the Pacto denied well-intentioned governors-

general the chance to carry out their programs,
opportunists among them found their terms of office too
short that they engaged in amassing wealth while in
power.

 The effort to establish reform was thwarted by the

succession of inefficient monarchs to the Spanish throne.

 The split created within the royal family finally ended in

a civil war in 1936.
Specific events, which took place in
Spain and elsewhere:

 England and France became

industrialized and powerful
nations while Spain was hesitant
to accept the scientific and
technological advancements

 The French government under

Napoleon Bonaparte tried to
dominate Spain but they were
able to drive them away in 1814

 The period from 1814-1875 were

unstable years for Spain
 Monarchs such as Ferdinand VII
and Isabella II, who were unfit
to rule ascended the throne.

 Monarch - a hereditary
constitutional sovereign, as a king
or queen, etc.

 Monarchy - a state or country in

which the supreme power either
actually or nominally placed in the
hands of a king, queen, or other
monarch; the system of
government in which power is
vested in a monarch
 There was a split between the LIBERALS (i.e. they
believe that people should enjoy liberty, equality
and opportunity) and CONSERVATIVES (i.e. they
believe monarchs should reign)

 Indifference and political ignorance of people

which blocked the way to development

 Ferdinand VII-did not recognize the liberal

reforms; he scorned the Constitution and the
Cortes

 There was a conspiracy against the king which

ended in civil war in 1936
 Queen Isabela's reign for 35 years ended in a
revolution in 1868 which forced her to leave the
country.

Under Isabella:

 Her government had 5 successive military politicians.

The country under her was in a period of confusion
and instability between liberalism and absolutism (the
exercise of unrestricted power in or by government)

 Amadeo de Savoy sat on the throne but was unable to

reconcile the two opposing camps and was forced to
give up his position which also gave birth to the short
lived Spanish Republic.
 Monarchy was restored in 1875 with Alfonso XII
(Isabella’s son) on the throne.

 1876-1931- Second Republic was established.

 A parliamentary monarchy was set up.

 Legislative power and power to change the constitution

were given to the king and the Cortes.

 Sovereignty of the people was a farce. Will of the

monarch still prevailed.

 1885-death of Alfonso XII who was replaced by Minister

Canovas del Castillo
 The political setbacks brought about Spanish masses
living in poverty and social misery

 Socialism and Anarchism gradually spread in Spain

 Spain lost most of her colonies except Cuba, Puerto Rico,

Guam, and the Philippines.
• The Philippine Political System Under Spain

• The Social System

– Predominantly feudalistic.

– An elite class exploited the masses. Classes existed

in a master-slave relationship.

– All forms of taxation were exacted on the natives.

– Natives were assigned to forced labor.

 Social system was
pyramidal with the
 peninsulares and
insulares occupying the
top post,

 the Mestizos and criollos

and the middle class
enjoying some privileges

 while the Natives or

indios were looked down
upon.
  The Political System.

 The country was governed through the

Consejo de Indias.

 The monarchs managed the affairs of the

colonies through this council and exercised
executive, legislative and judicial functions.

 Ministerio de Ultramar (created in 1863)

replaced the council and peninsular laws were
extended to the Philippines.
 The Governor-General (appointed by the
monarch) headed the central administration in
Manila.

 He was the king’s representative in all state and

religious matters and as such, he exercised
extensive powers.

 He issues executive orders and proclamations

and he had supervision and disciplinary powers
over all government officials.

 The immensity of those disciplinary powers made

some governors-general weak and biased
• His prerogatives gave him the opportunity to
reward his favorites and penalize those that
displease him.

• He was Commander-in-Chief of the Armed

Forces and had supreme power over financial
matters until he shared this power with the
Intendant General (1784).

• He exercised cumplase, the power to disregard

or suspend any law or Royal Decree from Spain.
 Bodies created to check on the powers of the
Governors-general
 
 The Royal Audiencia, the highest court. It served as the
highest court of appeal for criminal and civil cases and
important government affairs were referred to it as well.
The Court and the governor-general, acting separately or
together occasionally made laws called autos acordados.

 The Residencia. A body composed of the audiencia and

the incoming governor-general that investigated one’s
predecessor for acts of graft and corruption.

 The Visitadores. A body commissioned by the Crown to

conduct secret investigations on graft and corrupt
practices of government officials.
The Power Hierarchy

 The Central Government: The Governor-General, The Lt. Governor

(general segundo cabo), and the advisory bodies such as the Board
of Authorities, Council of Administration and (since 1874) the
Secretariat of the Central Government.

 Alcaldias (Provincial Governments) led by the alcalde mayores

 Cabildo or Ayuntamiento (City Governments) led by two alcaldes

en ordinario and the towns led by the gobernadorcillo (or fondly,
capitan) elected by the principalia.

 The Barrio or barangay led by the cabeza de barangay.

 The cuadrilleros or guardia civil helped maintain peace and order.

This was headed by the alferez.
Laws used in Governing the Philippines.

• Leyes de Indias, royal decrees issued at

various times and intended for the colonies.

• Las Siete Partidas, Las Leyes de Toro, Codigo

Penal, Codigo Civil, and Codigo de
Commercio, these are some laws enacted for
Spain but also used in governing the
Philippines.
Sources of Abuses in the Administrative System.

• appointment of officials with inferior

qualifications and lacking the dedication and
moral strength to resist corruption.
• overlapping of functions that resulted to
confusion and friction.
• the union of the church and the state.
• positions were often filled through bidding.
• the kings’ appointees were often ignorant of
the Philippines’ needs.
 lack of continuity; officials were reassigned often to
prevent them from creating a following among the
natives thus preventing somebody from instigating a
secessionist move.

 provincial government was the most corrupt in the

sense that the alcalde exercised administrator, judge,
and military commander rolled into one. He could never
be prosecuted.

 the indulto para commerciar (license to trade) was

abused as alcaldes monopolized the trade, buying the
produce cheap from the natives and selling them at high
prices during times of scarcity.

 parish priests often ignored these abuses in exchange for

favors.
 higher officials were indifferent to anomalies.

 judges were often incompetent and corrupt. Cases were not

decided on merits but often on the bases of such
considerations such as race, money and personal privileges.

 Legal proceedings were costly and decisions often delayed.

 Secession of Spain’s other colonies led her to tighten control

of the Philippines through the friars who were often abusive,
materialistic and who were playing on the ignorance of the
natives.

 land acquisition by the friars and the raising of rentals.

 The Educational System.
 
 Schools overemphasized religious matters.
Religion was the main subject in schools;

 The schools used obsolete teaching methods;

 The curricula were limited in scope;

 The classroom facilities were inadequate;

 Teaching materials were inadequate;

• Primary education was neglected;

• Academic freedom was not practiced;

• There was prejudice against Filipinos in higher

learning institutions;

• Fear of God was emphasized and obedience

to the friars was instilled in the mind of the
people.;
 The people were constantly reminded that they
were of inferior intelligence and that they were
only good for manual labor. Over the centuries,
this resulted in a lack of personal confidence and
the development of an inferiority complex;

 Learning in every level was largely by rote.

Students were made to memorize things which
they could never understand;

 The Spanish language was not taught to the

people at the friars’ recommendation;

 Books had to undergo strict censorship.

Reforms Passed

 Gov. Crespo’s commission to study and recommend

remedial measures to improve elementary
education in the Philippines.

 Educational Decree (1863), the establishment of

primary schools for boys and girls in every town.

 The Moret Decree (1870), sought to secularize

higher education in the colony.

 The opening of schools to Filipinos toward the end

of Spanish rule