Ilustrado' politics: The response of the Filipino educated elite to American colonial rule, 1898-1907.

Abstract

Through a detailed reconstruction and analysis of the political relationships and developments during the first decade of the American occupation of the Philippines (1898-1907), this study pursues two major objectives: (1) to achieve a better underst and ing of the responses of educated Filipinos (ilustrados) to the political and institutional changes introduced during this period; and (2) to examine more closely the collaborative interaction between Filipino politicians and American colonial authorities. A basic framework for late 19th century Filipino society is devised in order to analyze the political activities of ilustrados and to place them within the larger context of Filipino elites, who are viewed in four categories: municipal, provincial and urban elites, and urban middle sectors. The study of ilustrado politics is divided into two general areas of development: those in the colonial center (Manila and its environs) and those in the provincial areas. For Manila, particular attention is focused on the formation of the Partido Federal and of the various groups that emerged between 1901 and 1906 to challenge its control of national politics. Stress here is placed on the political activities of urban-based ilustrados who, with no access to elections, competed with one another through a politics of patronage and a range of more radical endeavors that included journalism, "seditious" drama, labor organizing, and the founding of schools and political associations. For the provincial areas, the focus is on the introduction of elections, the key institution in 20th century Filipino politics. Organizing for elections, as early as 1901-02, led to the development of competing political factions and networks within each province. Detailed accounts of the early careers of the two leading provincial politicians, Sergio Osmena and Manuel Quezon, provide case studies of these early developments. By 1906 the provincial politicians, under Osmena and Quezon, took the lead in the formation of the emerging national politics in preparation for the Philippine Assembly. The study concludes with an analysis of the changing political conditions that culminated in 1907 with Osmena and Quezon successfully taking over national politics (as the leaders of the Partido Nacionalista) and replacing the Federalistas as the collaborative partners of the American rulers. The study is based on a range of primary sources that include private papers, personal memoirs, official documents, and newspapers, and careful attention to the biographical materials on the persons concerned.