Three Basic Problems Of The Philippines

Basics of the Three Basics

1890 COLONIAL / CAPITALIST

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1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

PRE COLONIAL

1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

PRE COLONIAL

1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

PRE COLONIAL

1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

PRE COLONIAL

1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

PRE COLONIAL

1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

PRE COLONIAL

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1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

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TODAY

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PRE COLONIAL

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1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

PRE COLONIAL

1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

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PRE COLONIAL

1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

PRE COLONIAL

1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

PRE COLONIAL

1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

PRE COLONIAL

1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

PRE COLONIAL

1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

PRE COLONIAL

1520 - COLONIAL

1890 - COLONIAL/CAPITALIST

2005 - TODAY

US Imperialism

“Sick and tired of the lies/So your plans I have to spoil/ Tell the truth about the war/We over there killin' for oil.” -Do D.A.T.

Meaning of Imperialism • • •

•

Neo-imperialism, armies no longer needed, money now adequate for control. “Imperialism is not necessarily direct formal control of one country by another, but the economic exploitation of one by another.” “The super-exploitation of poor countries allows the capitalist industrial nations to keep some of their own workers content with slightly higher living standards.

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JoMa stated that unless America “engaged in imperialist expansion, the American ruling class of monopoly capitalist would not be able to cope even temporarily with the crisis of overproduction. Imperialism is the last way out for the monopoly capitalist to postpone their revolutionary overthrow.”

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“Advanced” Readings –

– –

Amin, Imperialism and Unequal Development (Monthly Review Press, 1977). Fanon, A Dying Colonialism (Grove Press, 1994). Lenin. Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism (Resistance Books, 1999).

“Basic” Readings – –

Blum, Rogue State: Third Edition (Zed Books, 2006). Petras, et. al. Empire with Imperialism (Zed Books, 2005).

Bogus Independence & Unequal Treaties • Heavy US investment in the Philippines after “independence.” • Laurel-Langley Agreement. • US-RP Mutual Defense Treaty.

US Monopoly Control in the Philippines • US control of investment in banks, natural resources, and other major industries.

Feudalism

“A mass of nameless at the oasis/That hides the graves beneath the master's hill/ Are buried for drinking/The rivers water while/Shackled to the the line at the empty well.” -Zach de la Roca, Rage Against the Machine

Meaning of Feudalism • JoMa states, “Feudalism is a mode of production in which the principle forces of production are the peasants and the land which they till and the relations of production are basically characterized by landlord oppression and exploitation of the peasantry.” • Readings

– “Advanced” • Sison, Philippine Society and Revolution (Ta Kung Pao, 1971). • Ibid. Philippine Economy and Politics (Aklat ng Bayan, 2002).

– “Basic” • Rosca, Jose Maria Sison: At Home in the World, Protrait of a Revolutionary (Open Hand Publishing, 2004).

Characteristics of Feudalism • Landlords – Own vast cultivable land.

• Peasants/tenants – Rent plots or live on landlords’ land. – Till land for landlord. – Put into share cropping.

• Hacienda system – Large-scale cultivation of commercial crops. – Specialization in agriculture in different areas (food is exported).

• Sham land reform – Land grabbing and resettlement.

• Extent of feudal and semi-feudal exploitation • Political power of the landlord class – Land rent and usury – Slave wage farm labor – Political connections

Bureaucrat Capitalism

“Never snitch to the locals or the feds/See they tryna break us off so they don't have to break bread/Cause Uncle Same ain't the baker, he's the butcher… Stop flyin Ol’ Glory man, cut it down/If your job ain’t payin right, shut it down.” -Boots Riley, The Coup

Meaning of Bureaucrat Capitalism • The Philippines is ruled by a party system which is run by elites and is used to benefit the elite and advance their agenda. •

Readings – “Advanced” • Harvey, Limits of Capital (Verso, 2006). – “Basic” • Appignanesi, Marx for Beginners (Panthenon Books, 1979). • Mandel, An Introduction to Marxist Economic Theory (Resistance Books, 2002). • Singer, Marx: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2000).

Sources of Graft and Corruption • Money bribes. • Political favors. • Landed class and elites go to government. Government elites go back to landed class.

• Foreign capital and corporations. • Competing US, Japanese, and Chinese interests. • Use fascist polices to stay in power. – PNP and AFP abductions, antiterrorism laws, etc.