People Power Revolution

EDSA People Power Revolution
Kaitlin Frazier
Strayer University

Sociology of Developing Countries
Professor Anderson
3/4/13
EDSA People Power Revolution In 1986 there was a peaceful revolution against the Philippines’s President Ferdinand Marcos. The Filipinos were tired of how President Marcos government oppressed the people. The Philippine people staged a revolt called the EDSA People Power Revolution. The revolution is also known as the Peaceful Revolution because there was no bloodshed. Prayer was the only weapon. On February 25 1986, the Filipino people marched Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) in the People Power Revolution. The revolt came from President Marcos not treating his people properly. Marcos was not willing to do things for his people the way a president should. President Marcos framed Senator Benigno “Ninay” Aquino Sr. for bomb threats. Marcos did not like the Senator because he did not approve of what the President was doing. The Senator was exiled. The Filipino people lost their patience with Marcos when the former senator was flying back to the Philippines; he was shot and killed by Marcos’s men. After Aquino was killed his wife, Cory Aquino, showed the Filipinos and the world what could be done for the people of the Philippines. Aquino was telling people to revolt against the President. An election was held between Marcos and Aquino on February 7 1986. The election was the most corrupt and deceitful election in Philippine history. The revolt came about when Marcos’s Defense Minister and Armed Forces Vice-Chief of Staff did not want to support the president and the government that he ran. Aquino passed information along to the Filipinos through Radio Veritas, the 24-hour Am station operated by the Roman Catholic Church (The People Power Revolution). They had to use the radio, because it was the only form that President Marcos did not have control over. The radio aired messages that summoned Filipino’s to march. The Filipino’s used prayer and rosaries as their weapons in the revolution. Marcos gave up his power and left the country. Aquino was sworn in as president on the same day. Sociologist James C. Davies wonders why people would revolt. He states that people rarely rebel when they are experiencing prolonged or permanent suffering (Handelman, 2011, pg. 227). People that are uncertain about the future are less likely to change what’s happening. He believes if there is a revolution it will happen after a long period of economic growth. After the growth there will be a hard turn, a down fall will happen with the economy. Davies theory contrast with the EDSA People Power Revolution. Davies says that people won’t revolt during hard times. I feel as though the Filipino people were suffering during Marcos term as president. It may not be the type of suffering Davies was talking about, but it is still suffering. The Philippine people revolted against Marcos when the people were oppressed by his government. Also going against Davies’s theory the Philippines did not go through economic growth or downfall around their revolution. The Sociologist of revolution could learn many things from the EDSA People Power Revolution. The main lesson they could learn is that no matter how much suffering people go through, if they are willing to make change they will. All it will take is a few strong willed people for everyone to get behind and follow. Like the saying goes if there is a will there is a way. People will make things happen if they want the change bad enough.

References
Handelman, H. (2011). SOC 300: The challenge of Third World development: 2 custom edition (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Longman – Pearson Custom Publishing.
Philippine History. Jan. 23, 2012. EDSA People Power Revolution. http://www.philippine-history.org/edsa-people-power-revolution.htm
The People Power Revolution in the Philippines: "I Saw No One Yield to Fear" http://www.tavaana.org/viewcasestudy.jsp?pageId=2071502000341264606266439&lang=en&restrictids=nu_repeatitemid&restrictvalues=2071502000341283324272068

References: Handelman, H. (2011). SOC 300: The challenge of Third World development: 2 custom edition (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Longman – Pearson Custom Publishing. Philippine History. Jan. 23, 2012. EDSA People Power Revolution. http://www.philippine-history.org/edsa-people-power-revolution.htm The People Power Revolution in the Philippines: "I Saw No One Yield to Fear" http://www.tavaana.org/viewcasestudy.jsp?pageId=2071502000341264606266439&lang=en&restrictids=nu_repeatitemid&restrictvalues=2071502000341283324272068