PS 202 (Notes on ‘Pasyon and Revolution: Popular Movements in the Philippines, 1840- 1910’ by Reynaldo Clemeña Ileto, 1979)
Sources of Data: History, Biography, Folk Songs, Poems and Religious Traditions (Prayers & Confessions)
A “History From Below”-- the Little Tradition and Great Tradition Discourses (pp. 1- 27)
A constant framework of interpretation: the Evolutionary Framework (which) places premium on the ideas and activities of the Filipino priests and intellectuals who gave form to the aspirations of the masses. (p. 3)
Inspite of the ultimately narrow class interests (native elites, mestizos and principales) behind their agitation, the ilustrados managed to stir up a nationalist sentiment among the masses by focusing upon friar abuse that was universally felt in varying degrees. (p. 3)
“Blind Reaction” theories prevail; intentions and hopes are left unexamined. This leads to the forgone conclusion that early popular movements were largely failures, and continued to be so until they turned more “rational” and “secular”. (p. 5)
*The “Great Divide”*
“No uprising fails. Each one is a step in the right direction.” (Salud Algabre, 1935 Sakdal Peasant Uprising Leader) (p. 5)
Instead of using preconceived categories of nationalism and revolution as a matrix through which events are viewed, the author tried to bring to light the masses’ own categories of meaning that shaped their perceptions of events and their participation in them. (p. 8)
The book deals with the same events: before, during and after the REVOLUTION (1840- 1910) but tries to look at them from within, that is, from the perspective of the masses. (p. 8)
If we are to arrive at the Tagalog masses’ perception of events, we have to utilize their (Spanish ilustrado) documents in ways that extend beyond the search for “cold facts”. (p. 10)
Questions posed by the author
1. How did the masses