Customer Reviews

The Philippines Reader: A History of Colonialism, Neocolonialism, Dictatorship, and Resistance

5 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

As a person interested in social justice and race relation issues, and a first time reader of Philippine history, i found the book very interesting and highly educational on the subject of the United States military,political,social,economic and cultural subjugation of the Filipino people from the year 1900 to 1986. It made me ashamed to live in the United States and benefit ( either directly or indirectly) from the subjugation of the Filipino people. It detailed the specific evil nature of U.S. foriegn policy in its quest to gain ( militarily, politically and economically) at the expense of others "misery" !!!!

A good start to understanding. Read further if you don't believe it. The US is not innocent, it is as much an imperial power as Spain was. Don't take my word for it Just read, pay attention, and look at the big picture. This book can help in your education and understanding.

Although it is now 23 years old, this volume remains an indispensable source of important documents to understand 111 years of American intervention in the Philippines. Excellent book!
I wish the author would update it, there is at least enough new source material for a similar size volume covering the years 1987 to the present.

I don't know what the complaining's all about. America "occupied" Philippines only twice as long as I've been married to a Filipina (I therefore am more of an expert than YOU). We liberated Philippines from 300 (400?) years of Spanish domination. We set up an effective political system on the way to self-rule, which was taken over by the "Japanese Liberation". We fought for 4 years to free the Philippines, and then...*magic*, we freed the Philippines.

Now, America's(?) to blame for all the apathetic ways, the bribery, the lethargy, the crime, the "shaving the rules". Holey-moley, it's not our fault, eh? Get over it. Why is it that Overseas Foreign Workers (OFW) are the primary export from the Philippines, and the primary source of returning capital? Not for lack of intelligence or motivation, apparently.

Ask any Filipino - excepting the really angry ones who blame others for their misfortune, and to a man (or women) they'll tell you - their dream is "to move to the States...".

Uh, excuse me, you liberal political science majors.... If you'd studied business, you could get a job. But it sure was fun to laze around UP or UST and be angry at me, huh? Ah, the glory days of school, without having to make a living - Daddy's money. Uh, maybe DADDY was ripping off the Philippine people for your tuition?

That's your fault, not mine.

Renato Constantino "Miseducation of the Filipino"