Sep 2, 2009

The Philippines within a century

The Philippines within a century is a pice used by Rizal to predict the future of the Philippines after 100 years, hence century. He utilized both the country's past and present in order to see what possibilities the future could bring to the country.

The past that Rizal used was not only the past before the Spaniards, but also the past when there was friendship with the Spaniards. These qualities helped him realize that the Philippines could have a better relationship with the Spaniards rather than just being colonizers and colonized, which is one of the possible futures predicted by Rizal.
The other two possible futures stemmed fro the hatred and anger of the Pilippines toward the Spaniards. One was that the Philippines would be free, but would not have a stable government because the Philippines past only show that the Philippines, as a country, is not yet united. Another was that although the Philippines would be free of the Spaniards, another country would come and colonize the Philippines.
What happened was that the last two possibilities happened, though not all within a century. The Philippines became a colony of the America after the Spaniards, and Japan after the Americans. After Japan, the Philippines gained its independence, although, as Rizal stated, the Philippines does not have a stable government.
These insight of Rizal, for me, is simply amazing. To be able to look at the past and present and to give possible future scenarios can be done by any person. However, to see the attitude of the people in those times and see the possible advancements and ways of thinking of the people to predict their actions is a skill not many have.

----Joyce Sia

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