Chapter 12

Indolence or Industry
 Vocabulary

n s e v e ra l
aids i ed by
Native Filipinos, occasionally s e r i e s of r
r a c
ns coy m m i t t

ro pi
avoidanc
Indio
used in a derogatory manner Ph i l i
MuMo
p p i
s
n
l
e
i m
t
s
o w
from
se
M
v e
i
n
n d anao
t e e nt h
i n d o l e n ce
e of activ
exertion; ity or
laziness.
t he
during es.
centuri
Foreigners Visiting Philippines
from 17th to 19th centuries
Gemelli Carreri
“It is their laziness that makes
them appear less ingenious; and they
are so entirely addicted to it, that if in
walking they find a thorn run into their
foot, they will not stop to put it out of
the way, that another may not tread on
it”
Gaspar de San Agustin
“their laziness is such that if
they open door , they will never
close it; if they take any
implement for use, such a knife,
pair of scissors, hammer, etc.
they will not return it whence they
took it, but drop it there at the foot
of the work.”
Feodor Jagor
“along the river Pasig, somebody
might be seen asleep on a heap
of coconuts.”
Gregorio Sancianco

• El Progreso de las Filipinas

• 1881
• Trait to poor economic conditions
Sobre la Indol
Sobre la Indolencia de los Filipinos
Sobre la Indolencia de los Filipinos

• “Indolence of the Filipino people”

• La Solidaridad
• June 15 – September 15, 1890
Sobre la Indolencia de los Filipinos

• Longest essay written by rizal

• It represents his defence of the filipinos
from the charge that they were inherently
lazy or indolent
Indolence – inactiveness,
little love for work
Indolence – inactiveness, little
love for work

(according to Rizal)
It was the European who was the
paragon of laziness in the tropics
• People in tropics are expected to work less
due to hot climate that was compensated by
the fertility of the soil.

• Even the Spanish her in the Philippines do

no want to do heavy works
 British Library from 1888 to 1889 while at work on
his annotated edition of Antonio de Morga’s 1609
“Sucesos de las islas Filipinas (Events of the Philippine
Islands),” which described the industry and honesty of
the Filipinos before the Spanish conquest; and Antonio
Pigafetta’s chronicle of the Magellan expedition,
regarding the capture and ransom of the Chief of
Paragua.
Collapse of natural willingness to work
Impairment of the Industry of filipinos can be
attributed to two sets of factors:

•Those Attributes to Spanish colonizers

•Those attribute to Filipinos own fault

Those Attributes to Spanish colonizers
Internal Disorder Restriction to business

Moro Piracy Encouragement of Gambling

Forced Labor Ownership of big estates

Absence of Incentives Education

Teachings of Missionaires Apathy to industry and commerce
Those attribute to Filipinos own fault

Inferiority lack of spirit to pursue losty purposes

Miracles lack of national sentiment

Indio
Indolence
Education
Industry
Thank you for listening! 