A Condensed Version of Renato Constantino’s Works on Nationalism Essay

NATIONALISM has been a word every citizen had heard no solely once entirely a lot of whiles eespecial(a)ly for a History student desire me unless this cartridge holder no thirster fulfilling a require grow forcet for an nethergraduate degree nevertheless to a more(prenominal)(prenominal) prolific bingle the GRADUATE SCHOOL. Still the definition of Nationalism had non changed over the course of time, it is motionlessness equated with the word PATRIOTISM or beloved for ones further nearming. The ch whollyenge to write a paper on one of the pioneers of PHILIPPINE NATIONALISM has been a herculean task for the priming coat that the late RENATO CONSTANTINOs theories is non an easy one to write. He had been a nationa discover in heart and spirit.As one of my literature professors employ to say, YOU CAN CAPTURE THE HEART OF A PERSON BY dulcet WORDS UTTERED BUT NOT IN SPIRIT COZ THAT IS A SEPARATE REALM THAT ONLY YOU, YOURSELF CAN SEE with that except RENATO CONSTANTINO stick by see the spirit apart from feeling it too. For this paper, I entrust be delving on THREE works of RENATO CONSTANTINO every(prenominal) compiled into one condensed pamphlet entitle protest AND COUNTERCONSCIOUSNESS. I leave behind be faced with the task of analyzing the express compilation, giving insights and overviews and the much-awaited conclusion. As a constituteer subversive, I was dogmatized with Karl Marx, Mao Tse tung and Renato Constantino non because the latter(prenominal) was a leftist equivalent me precisely more of a nationalist in the admittedlyst sense of the word. To understand him and his works, it would be a plum deal to k straight off something somewhat this man.WHO IS RENATO CONSTANTINO?He was born on March 10, 1919. He was the eldest among the three children of Atty. Amador Constantino and Francisca Reyes. While in his pre-adolescent years, he had a grand time listening to the stories of his maternal grand spawn about the abuses made by the Spanish friars. In one expressive style or another, he had developed an early sentience of the plight of his fellowmen. All byout his enlighten years, he was a product of public schools Arellano High tame and University of the Philippines.He was the youngest editor-in-chief of the Philippine Collegian (the school organ of UP). He was as well a star debater and aft(prenominal) providing a critical address to patchuel Luis Quezons speech, Constantino became a fan of the great man, Quezon. He joined the Philippine troops in Bataan during the Japanese regime and luckily was not captured since he went into hiding in Bula underside.He was a professor in further Eastern University (FEU), Adamson University, Arellano University, University of the Philippines both in Manila and Diliman. He was in bid manner a lecturer hither and abroad since it has something to do with world an executive writing table to the Philippine Mission to unify Nations from 1946 to 1949. He became an official journalist from 1945 to 1998 on Evening Herald, Balita, Manila Bulletin, Manila Chronicle, Daily Globe and Malaya among others. He was also a well- have it awayn historian and writer. He was married to Letizia Roxas since 1946. They reach devil children Renato Jr. and Karina who is married to the political commentator Randy David.He died on September 15, 1999. Renato Constantinos bread and b break had been a sheltered one simply his father, a lawyer had taught him about indep peckence. He did not shield Renato from the authentic realities of life, the existence of conquest and exploitation. At a young age, he had the reason of being a nationalist, of individual who wants to uplift the sufferings of his fellowmen. Through his columns at several(prenominal) newspapers, his lectures, his teachings and his works he had reached his goal and that is agitateing the Filipinos and I am not afraid to admit I was and unbosom is one of his disciples.THE BOOK DISSENT AND COUN TER-CONSCIOUSNESSThis book is a compilation of 3 pamphlets of Renato Constantino namely Origin of the Myth, concern without Understanding and A Leadership for Filipinos. It would not be a f propagate deal if I go straight to the overview of this book without tackling some of the pamphlets think to this book such as Nationalism and Liberation, synthetic substance Culture and suppuration and Identity and understanding. Nationalism as defined by Wikipedia as a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a classify of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms and in Renato Constantinos eyes patriotism has been described as an end-result of a falsify account recountment of colonization. In his pamphlet, Nationalism and Liberation. He traced the history of colonization in the Philippines. From the time that the two superpowers of the Old World Spain and Portugal had spent money for sponsoring expeditions to the break by of the Philippines by F erdinand Magellan to the propagation of Christianity to the natives as a tool of imperialism.Constantino had been trying to awaken the consciousness of each one of us to what had been the righteousness all along. A distorted one as he aptly described it. The Spanish colonizers had not only captured our hearts but also our spirits, they imbibed changes mostly banish values which be still in presentnt up to todays generation. We guard been brain-washed with their ideas and philosophies which in one way or another had constraind rotation among the Filipino slew.In this line, Constantino had comp ard us with other southeastern asian countries break down cargon Thailand and Indonesia to name a few the former had not experienced colonial notice but the latter had been a different case since it was under colonial rule from the British to the French yet Indonesia had opted to be unconditional amidst its diversity. It had adopted political and stinting emancipation with the co nsciousness among its people starting with one language which is Bahasa Indonesia. Thailand on the other hand been a monarchial rule, blood and class count but still the people tried and true to gain emancipation and the class struggle had been one galactic paradox to be solved but at present Thailand managed to be ousted from the list of THIRDWORLD COUNTRIES.Through History, Constantino wants us, the Filipino people to learn the lessons from the quondam(prenominal) and that we can never be always dependent on a foreign colony to survive. We have to struggle to be kick from oppression and exploitation of foreign powers. He wants us to go abide to the basic to be self-reliant in our ways. Economic independence is the goal here(predicate) and the key is not to depend on Transnational Corporations(TNCs). The giving medication should create programs which would hit more the Filipino people than the aliens. We have to turn this country from an import-oriented to an export-orie nted one. For straightaway, we can see it is still a far-fetched aspiration but who k instantlys from the lessons erudite from History the consciousness of being NEW FILIPINOS volition take attribute from now on.Regarding the pamphlet Synthetic Culture and Development. Renato Constantino had explored the ills of neocolonialism. No rules of order can exist without a culture. As Amilcar Cabral quoted Culture is the dynamic synthesis.at the aim of individual or community consciousness, of the fabric and spiritual historical man of a gild or a human group with the relations existing amid man and nature as well as among men and among social classes and sectorsBut the culture prevailing in our society had been described by Constantino as synthetic which as defined actor fake or artificial. The one put to blame here is the caboodle MEDIA since it is the of import root of COMMUNICATION. Communication means to convey a depicted object and we cannot deny the event that Media h as been a powerful tool in inception the doors of communication among the people. From the information known and unknown to people, we are on deem day by day with the changes. The power of Neocolonialism plays a vital spot in our having a synthetic culture. We have been becharmd by the foreign power, the united States most particularly. From our love and addiction to merchandise items, seeking employment and raise the corporate ladder owned by the Transnational Corporations (TNCs), being an immigrant in the land referred as the LAND OF MILK AND HONEY.We have this westbound consciousness in each one of us and according to Constantino, if this would be the case where is the Filipino consciousness? Filipino identity? With this fact, as we crumple thick objurgateer, the Filipino people are strong propagatorsof colonial mentality, that we should speak,train,dress, feel manage Westerners. In his pamphlet THE WESTERNIZING FACTORS IN THE PHILIPPINES, we are demoted to what he ter med as trivial BOURGEOISFICATION which means we are merely shopkeepers,salesmen, professionals,government employees etc. in other dustup just mass products of a society. That being the CEOs and presidents forget only be far-fetched dreams. Our identity has been tied or binded with Western influence and that the latter had employ MEDIA to achieve that goal. An example would be we know more about turkey cock Cruise than Nora Aunor.We opted to patronize foreign movies than local ones. As shallow as these examples, it still theatreifies one thing, we are more identified, familiar and attached with western sandwich influences than our own. And that is what Constantino had been describing and detailing on the synthetic culture. He wants a People-Culture than a Synthetic one and this can be achieved through (a) formulation and development of encyclopaedic national communication policies which should evolve from broad consultations with all sectors concerned (b) removal of obstacles and restrictions which derive from the concentration of media ownership, public or private from commercial influence on press and broadcasting (c) effective legal mea accrediteds to limit the motion of concentration and monopolization (d) strengthening cultural identity and creativity through the establishment of national cultural policies such as going back to the grassroots culture (e) development of essential elements of communication (f) access to technical foul information and advanced communications technology and (g) democratizing media management. Lastly, the pamphlet Identity and Consciousness, Renato Constantino had explored the whys in that respect is an absence of consciousness among the Filipino people. He had traced the real truth to two factors namely Elitism and Ignorance.LITISMTracing back to our History lessons there had been the numeral of class, of a separation of people in terms of wealth and power. From the pre-colonial times, the barangay form of governmen t had been ruled by the datu and there had been a disparity between the datu and the alipin saguigilid. Then when the Spaniards came, they apply the Filipino elect to exploit the resources. They had encouraged the elite to go abroad to make with the likes of Jose Rizal and Marcelo del Pilar among others to form a proceeding because up frontthey want to be dispatch from the Spanish rule but still adamant to use revolutionary means to end the struggle. Under the American Regime, the elite this time under Aguinaldo, Quezon until Jose P. Laurel, they have been educate abroad but still imbibed with western consciousness. Under the neocolonial rule, it is still the akin ball game, our draws have been educated and trained abroad but still the identity remains the same, western development had been more glossy and where do we contribute this mistake? This painful result?To us, the Filipino people. We have not well-read anything from History. Until now, we are still unintentional . We are still unidentified and not conscious of being Filipinos. It is like going to school without an Identification card (ID) we are still nameless. The western influence had build us to be this way and they are succeeding, until now we are still under their rule-of-thumb even if we dont have their multitude bases here in our territory, still we are clearly more identified with them than by being a Filipino. Constantino had been clear on this topic.Unless the consciousness develops , identity leave follow. But it is an illusion until now because we can see for ourselves that we need the joined States to keep our sparing going, that we are still dreaming of sightly the 57th enjoin of united States. It had been an inherent dream that we ordaining be spending in US dollars and not in pesos, that we dont have to go to the US Embassy to get our visas and that the imported good enoughs volition be sold at more affordable prices.Unless there will be an economic revolution whi ch could start from going back to the grassroots, and that we will realize that our country is an countrified one more than an industrial zone. Until the time that we will have the consciousness that we are Filipinos with less dependency on Western influences. That will be the only time that our identity as Filipinos will be established. That will also be the time that the spirit of Filipino nationalism has been embraced by each and everyone of us. Now in correlation with the book DISSENT AND COUNTER-CONSCIOUSNESS, as I have mentioned earlier it is a compilation of three pamphlets so it would be best to hold forth the pamphlets prototypical ahead citing an overview of the whole book.1) innovation OF THE MYTHHere Constantino tried to discuss about the myth regarding United States relationship with the Philippines. As we try to recall history, we have learned that United States at first has no interest in the Philippines but when it started to request for a respite in the SUPER POWER realm, it had realized that colonizing Philippines is not a bad idea but more of a sign that US was ready to be a first class catchor so buying us from the Spanish rulers via Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in Hongkong, twas the mock battle took repose. We were not informed of the fact that US has come not only to conquer but to stay, it was only later after the Hares-Hawes Cutting Law took place during the Commonwealth period that we had this instant realization that United States was a mother colony and we are under their beck and call.It was not the fault of Manuel Quezons ignorance that pushed him to sign the Tydings-McDuffie law since one of the premises there was to grant self-government after ten years. Adding to the fact, that there was the outbreak of Second World War, and that Philippines was in the throw out economically speaking. US was there to lend a hand through foreign aid. The government had not been fully cognizant of the motives of the US government because of th e value instilled by Spaniards within us, the proverbial utang-na-loob. We were now having that idea that we owe them. That is where the myth came in according to Constantino, that reality cannot be separated from magic trick and that United States had been our knight in shining armor. So a special bond or relationship had been formed.The only opposing side at that time was the HUKBALAHAP movement headed by the late Luis Taruc and the US government had been refreshful enough to postulate Ramon Magsaysay,a pure American boy and the CIA to penetrate and comptroller the HUKS. Every law and treaty from the Tydings-McDuffie law up to the Bell craftiness Act shows the control of the US over the Philippines for two purposes as cited by Constantino he referred to it as the twin premises of the myth a) that there was no substantial resistance to American rule and b) that the Filipinos were then incapable of self-government. in that location was resistance and the Filipinos were capable of self- government as proven by the barangay agreement during pre-colonial times. But US has a different plan for Philippines and it has to be boilers suit control which they did with all the treaties and the presence of the military bases and even the utang-na-loobinherent in us by making Jose Rizal the national hero, the foreign aid through IMF(International Monetary Fund) and WB(World Bank), making us a member-country of GATT(General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade), ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and UN(United Nations) among others so that we will embark on an open economy adopting Adam Smiths Free Enterprise but in the end if we look at everything in hindsight, it was more to US benefit than the Filipinos.The United States was intelligent enough to take advantage of our weakness and that is after three hundred thirty three years of Spanish colonialism, we were decease to be independent and it was also our Achilles heel to speak of since US was aware of this f act, therefore it had sent the best men like Dewey, Merritt, Taft among others to lead the Philippines towards that independence mediocrity. With the alleviate of the Americanistas like Aguinaldo, Arellano, Quezon, Laurel even up to the present Noynoy Aquino. We can say that US is here to stay and I should not delight in if after the term of Noynoy Aquino there will be plan to make Philippines the 57th state of the United States of America. It will not be a big surprise for all of us since as I have mentioned earlier, we are more attracted to Uncle Sam than Juan dela Cruz.In the end of this pamphlet Constantino tried to discuss the press censorship during McKinleys administration where the BILL OF RIGHTS under the 1935 piece of music was not honored particularly freedom of press and expression. The US had been bright enough to impose a civilian rule rather than military rule. It was too late for the Philippine government to realize that we were under a military government than a civilian one when most of the troops sent in Vietnam were mostly Filipinos and that we did not have that inkling to net war against Vietnam since it was US advocacy to indulge in wars to achieve more power and to have that steady place in the superpower realm.When there was the killing of Filipino troops in Vietnam, United States was aware that it will create a chaos within the Philippine government so the latter, wise as he is had groomed a young senator named Ferdinand Marcos to feed for presidency in 1965 and eventually won the hearts of the Filipinos as first because of his advocacy for the poor. As they say, in history, it was too late to realize that Marcos was not out to rule fairly but to destroy the preservation of nationalism which was slowly growing in others since here and then he was a boytoy of the US government.B.) VENERATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDINGIn this pamphlet, Constantino discussed about Jose Rizal as an American sponsored hero and the tracing back of Rizals ro le in the history of the Philippines. Rizal was an illustrado, he was not from an impoverished family so he had the opportunity to study and trained in different schools abroad. He was a genius, a dump of all trades. He was a learned man. For many, he was the way out for independence from Spanish rule. In the long run, the realization dawned that he was an selfish and narcisstic individual who did not give a damn about his fellowmen. He created the Propaganda Movement and La Liga Filipina not because he wanted to end the Spanish colonizers through writing and other peaceful means (what we can termed now as ceasefire). He abhorred revolutionary means because deep inside that learned man lies a COWARD.In my undergraduate studies about Rizal, I was effrontery the chance to dissect and analyze Rizals letters to Ferdinand Blumentritt all in its original versions preserved by the National Historical Institute. There was one letter that cited Rizals real reason why he did not go with t he plan of Andres Bonifacios revolution. He belittled the latter for not having the literacy and loss leadership which Rizal had been known to possess. He was a hundred percent sure that the revolution will fail not only because of lack of ammunitions and men but more of a poor leadership displayed by an unlearned AND ILLITERATE FARMER.The response of Blumentritt was different and unexpected which made Rizal trigger-happy because Blumentritt cited situations wherein a successful revolution headed by an innate and analphabetic person had succeeded and and example was the French Revolution. Blumentritt was objective enough to write to Rizal that maybe the latter has this impression on Bonifacio because Rizal was a coward and he simply cant ply a gun and kill.It was this reason that Rizal stopped communicating with Blumentritt, because deep inside he knows he should be the one to plan and carry out the revolution and not someone ignorant and illiterate like Bonifacio. In one way or another, we knew that the Cry of Balintawak failed but it instilled something in us an iota of nationalism and pride that we want to be free from the Spanish rule, that the urge of independence is slowly burning in our hearts. That is what Constantino referred here as HEROISM not becauseyou died for the love of your country but moreof placing a CONSCIOUSNESS THAT WE ARE MEANT TO BE FREE. Sad to say, it was not a invariable process since there was not a brave man like Bonifacio again in the present times no matter how ignorant and illiterate as he is to stand up for our independence, for our freedom. Until now we are still a neocolony of United States and nothing changes even if we are entrance 2012.C) LEADERSHIP FOR FILIPINOSIn this pamphlet, Constantino was brave enough to depict the true leader for the Filipinos. It is a radical writing of the inner mind of Constantino as he tried to look for that leader as he had described someone who is an entertainer, popular, intelligen t, sublime and confident in its people. He had an admiration for Andres Bonifacio because of his will to let Philippines gain independence even if he was an ignorant and illiterate farmer. So with Claro M. Recto who happens to be a populist by heart. It was just the improper turn of events which did not give any merit or designation to a great statesman like Recto since the latter was not a member of the elite party of Americanistas. Recto is not a good speaker, no. He will arouse no mob. But heaven help the one whose pretensions he chooses to demolish.His sentences march like ordered battalions against the inmost stronghold of the mans arguments, and reduce them to rubble meanwhile his reservations stand like armed sentries against the most silent approach and every attempt at encirclement by the adversary. The reduction to absurdity of Nacionalista senator Zuluetas conception of cash in ones chips foreign policy was a shattering experience, the skill that goes into the cutting of a diamond went into the work of demolition. There was no slip of the hand, no disfigure in the tool. All was delicately, perfectly done Recto cannot defend the indefensible, but what can be defended, he will see to it that it will not be taken.This was quoted by Teodoro Locsin and Recto remained to be an inspiration to nationalists like Renato Constantino, Lorenzo Tanada, Jovito Salonga among others.Recto was able to help in the molding of the consciousness of some Filipinos but he was not habituated the chance to mold the majority and it was brought byhis defeat in the presidential race where Sergio Osmena won who happened to be a true Americanista. Still his subversiveness, patriotism, superpatriotic spirit lives on and I admire the person for his being sublime. He was a learned man like Rizal but he never was a coward. The need to be free and independent from foreign colonizers had been a dream of his. It was just a pity he was not apt(p) the chance to make it a reality. A s Constantino described a leader in the end page of this pamphlet. He cited A people cannot be great by the posturing of a leader nor by his well-rehearsed speeches but by their own efforts.They can be great not by becoming worthy of foreign investments but by purposeful work . They can be great not by relying on distant aid as the decisive factor of development, but by grant ,by struggling and gaining confidence in themselves. He further added that a true leader is not afraid to struggle if it would be for the crude good. I for one agreed to that, we can still export OFWs for economic reasons but with the country they are in, not for a single time will they forget that they are FILIPINOS in both mind and heart. afterwards discussing the three pamphlets included in the book DISSENT AND COUNTER-CONSCIOUSNESS, I have the room now to tackle the book and gave an overview about it. DISSENT in laymans term means to go against. You display an ill-sorted attitude if it is not what you view in or must believe in. Subversion had been a taboo word ever since Man had this dream to be FREE. This word always coincide with terrorism, ambushes, rallies, salvages among others, purely negative in every sense of the word.As Constantino expresses in this book, Man in financial support in a fabric world and principle is a far thought. In reality that has been happening, Filipinos are becoming more agreeable with material needs anything that money can buy even gainful the court, bribing the government agencies so as not to be penalized. With that hunger for material things, the accountability of government agencies go far beyond the principle. Graft and depravity had been a contagious disease, a new virus with no antidote. Man are slowly becoming wanton and unprincipled because of the yen for material things. It is a sad thing that because of this fact Man has been turning into a commodity. Someone with a price tagged on and maybe if an auction sale comes along he will b e sold to the highest bidder. If we look at the situationnowadays, we are being sold to the highest bidder and that is the United States. It does not only control us in economic and political aspects but in all aspects as well even spiritual.We have been in their slip of SUPERPOWER REALM for so long and now we are finding it hard to disintegrate or detach ourselves from them. We are now set up as a commodity in a free enterprise economy. Our wits and intelligence were in their benefit because we are on the job(p) for them. The government whom we trust the most turns out the opposite, the one who betrayed us. Even before as a colony and now as a neocolony, nothing had changed we are still under them. The American will had become the Filipino will. We dont have that identity that we are Filipinos. Our consciousness as a Filipino is at the bottom.We desparately need the Americans to survive and that is one disease that is incurable at this point. But Constantino is not giving up. C ounter-Consciousness is his answer. It will not be an easy task that is the reason why he used History to trace the root of the problems, to unveil the consciousness of the Filipino people, to divide the discontentment of being without an identity. With History, we turn back the time, we learned from the past and most of all it will pave the way on what we should do with our future. It will not be an easy task but it can be a reality if there will be a leader ready to sacrifice himself for not being a commodity being sold to the highest bidder but that he will be of service to the common good.Where is that leader? He is just there patiently biding for his time and I know deep inside that we can never be the 57th state of the United States because even the latter has not been that complacent in its niche in the superpower realm. It is now in the midst of economic break and political upheaval. Am I right in saying that what comes just about goes around?The answer is YES, it is time for the United States to grant us that independence we have been craving for so long. We deserved to be free and that is our main goal, our direction. We may be working for them, we may be buying imported goods from them, we may be having our money converted into dollars but nothing changes they are all material things that can diminish a day, a week, a year from now but nothing will change the fact that I AM A FILIPINO AND I AM tall TO BE A FILIPINO.With my short stay at the mountains of Bataan during my college days. I know I am a subversive and I am royal to be one. I no longer hide the fact that I was a leftist during my college days and even at present I am in a capitalist society nothing will alter the fact that my consciousness has been in my heart that I am for equality and justice.Taking up LAW had not been an easy finding because it negates everything I learned in being a subversive but I am not giving up because the LAW will not remain blindfolded forever, eventually it will shred that fabric and will take justice as its fate and I will just be waiting at a corner biding for that time to come.CONCLUSIONThis paper had occupied a special place in my heart since I do not deny the fact that Constantino had been an scene to reckon with. He has been my inspiration in my career path, most of all I learned to be proud of my being subversive as He was. The book with all the several pamphlets attached to it has been Constantinos way of reaching out the Filipino people that we cannot stay as ignorant as the United States presumes. We are climbing out slowly from the ticktack that had been an unsafe haven for so long as we try to give ourselves the chance to embark on a new life.An independent life as everyones goal is. A Life that we can utter with pride that we are FILIPINOS. We are slowly achieving this mark, majority are now going back to the grassroots culture. We may still be westernized in material goods but in line of thinking we are becoming con scious that we are Filipinos and that is how it must be.Eventually everyone will be aware of Juan dela Cruz than Uncle Sam especially that Uncle Sam is crestfallen at this time with all the upheavals he is now facing I will not be surprised that his all knowing smile will turn into a nasty grin. For my fellow Filipinos, we will stand with pride that we can now identify ourselves as Filipinos and no longer Filipinos with US as our neocolonizer but Filipinos for Philippines alone. Time will also come that the realization of being a subversive is not a ruthless act neither a negative trait but a breathe of fresh air to bring about a CHANGE. MABUHAY ANG MGA FILIPINO