Messianism and Millenarianism

Hi166 Group 1

MESSIANISM DEFINITIONS
messianism (Merriam Websters Dictionary)
Belief in a messiah Zealous devotion to a leader, cause, or movement The state of the world is seen as hopelessly flawed beyond normal human powers of correction

MESSIANISM EXAMPLES
Around the world
Jewish Messianism: a belief in a Messiah coming to deliver the Jews, restore Israel, and rule righteously, first mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah Christian Messianism: the Christian belief that Jesus Christ was the Messiah prophesied Muslim Mahdi and Isa (Islamic name for Christian Jesus) the Buddhist Maitreya, the Hindu Kalki and the Zoroastrian Saoshyant Rizalistas in the Philippines

MILLENARIANISM DEFINITIONS
millenarianism (Free Online Dictionary)
Any belief in a future period of ideal peace and happiness Relating to a thousand, especially to a thousand years The belief in the doctrine of the millenium

CHRISTIAN MILLENIALISM
On the Second Coming and the establishment of a Kingdom of God on Earth which according to prophecies in the Revelation of John will last a thousand years or more CCC 676: "The Antichrist's deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgement. The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism, especially the 'intrinsically perverse' political form of a secular messianism."

OTHER RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL, SOCIAL EXAMPLES

2012 Doomsday Prediction Boxer Rebellion Christian Israelite Church Ghost Dance The Heaven's Gate cult Jehovah's Witnesses

Introduction
Agrarian Reform
is a complex policy issue touching on a countless problems in the social, economic and political life of a third world nation.

Organizations
National Democratic Front (NDF) [during Corys regime] Council of Agricultural Producers of the Philippines (CAPP)[1988] United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization [since early 1950s] World Bank [since 1975] United States Agency for International Development (USAID) [early 1970s]

Debates
Propositions about the political and economic factors determining state policy. Relationship between state and society in the process of agrarian reform policy-making in the country. Interpretative and historically oriented approach to stable-societal relations. Intersection of interests between domestic and foreign actors in the process.

Land Reform vs. Agrarian Reform

Land reform can be said to refer particularly to a change in the legal or customary institution of property rights and duties, which define the rights of those who own or use agricultural land.

Land Reform vs. Agrarian Reform

Agrarian reform focuses on off land redistribution and concentrates on land settlement and productivity programme within existing property institutions.

1898
Agrarian reform became the political agenda in the Philippines since US replaced Spain as colonial rulers.

The State and Agrarian Reform

Agrarian reform involves policy decisions affecting existing property rights that are central to the consensus whereby the powerful in the society continue to support the state. It also involves decisions about economic organization that affect the whole of society. It is crucially related to state-capacity, or the historically evolved technical, administrative and financial resources within the institutions which compose the state.

Contrasting Approaches to Reform

Agrarian reform was endorsed by revolutionary movements (hukbalhap, MILF, communist party) as well as conservative and liberal reformers. These focused on:
Their position toward the redistribution of property rights in agricultural land. (kung sino nagtanim?, kung sino nagbayad ng tax?, equal?) Their objective vis--vis the maintenance or transformation of the principal institutions of the state. (iba ibang view regarding maintenance or transformation of the principal institutions of the state) The process by which they proposed to transform or maintain agrarian and property relations.

Agriculture as a Starting Point for Development

By the mid-1980s, over 60% of all Filipino people still lived and worked in the rural areas. Half of the working population and 40% of all families earned the major part of their income directly through agricultural activities. There was a general consensus, at least in rhetorical terms, which agriculture had to be a starting point of any overall plan for national development.

Landlessness and Insecurity

In a predominantly agricultural society, the landless or tenants, marginal farmers, farm workers and other rural poor groups who enjoy no secure access to land can never be certain of meeting their basic needs for survival.

Concentration of Landownership
In justifying a call for land redistribution, the government and particularly the Department of Agrarian Reform have often proclaimed that, Only 20% of the population owns 80% of the land. In fact, the governments land registration programme in 1988 demonstrated that not more than 5% of all families owned 83% of farm land.

Land Tenure Patterns and Productivity

The skewed pattern of landownership and control has led to the development of a complex pattern of land tenure that appears to contribute not only to poverty but also to a low rate of agricultural productivity.

HISTORICAL ORIGIN OF THE COLONIAL STATE AND THE LANDED ELITE

Spanish Colonialism
The colonial period gave rise to an economic and political system where a relatively small group of initially landed families enjoyed considerable monopoly power.

Spanish Colonialism
Spanish colonial rule promoted the interest of elite families (Insulares, Peninsulares) or political clans (Cabeza de barangay, Principalia), and domestic and foreign corporations (Chinese merchants) against those of the rural majority.

The First Philippine Republic

The new government imposed its own headtax, while its local officials attempted to usurp land at the expense of the peasants. The 1896 Revolution led to the overthrow of Spanish rule and the curtailment of friar authority, but the land tenure system was left very much intact.

US Colonialism
US corporate interests held a privileged place within the economy and many in the elite were tied to the United States, either through education, market opportunities or investment ventures.

US Colonialism
The US biased against redistributive reform was apparent in the treatment of the friar lands sale. For them, land redistribution was no more than a state-managed market trabsaction.

Post-World War II
Filipino peasants aspiration for rural reform become more focused in demands for agrarian reform, or securing access to land, after the war.

Religious rebellions

Origins
From Spanish time
hiding their anger under the veil of humility Weapons of the weak

Spaniards felt threatened

Begin to notice similar conditions with prerevolutionary Latin America All that was needed was a spark

Why religious in nature?

Forced to deny traditional deities, villagers evolved covert means to satisfy spiritual longings.
Restore indigenous beliefs Combine native and catholic elements

Filipinos felt alienated from their culture

Super naturalistic theme to dominate popular uprisings

1622 Nativism in Bohol

Babailanes and catalonans returned from the mountains Led by spellbinder, Tamblot Promised prosperous lives and invulnerability from Spaniards Spread to 4 villages and Leyte Controlled by Spanish troops with Cebuano forces
Use of Filipinos to fight other Filipinos

1663 Panay
Called for pre-Spanish religion by Tapar Proclaimed himself as god, aides as Jesus Christ, and female associate as Maria Santisima Used Cebuano to fight the religious rebels 1664 Tapars group was annihilated through public executions

Why use religion?

Origins of rebellion need not be religious, but methods end up using religion Popularity!
Playing as prophets or deity Supernatural powers Titles to followers Invulnerability

Because of such claims, Spanish did not see them as rooted in social tension rather the delusion of individuals

First coordinated religious rebellion in the Philippines (1841)

Apolinario de la Cruz
Born from peasant parents July 31, 1815 in Lucban town, Tayabas province Pursued clerical career Went to Manila in 1839 and was rejected because of bans on recruitment for Filipino friars Became a lay brother in Hospital of San Juan de Dios Rejected and discriminated

Change in Apolinario
Discussed of establishing a religious organization for Filipinos only Appeal denied and removed from services in the hospital Returned to Lucban and founded Confradia de San Jose
Spread to Tayabas, Batangas, and Laguna Included both rich and poor Members paid due

The turning point

Non-indio was forbidden to join Requested to the Archbishop of Manila to have ecclesiastic recognition Manuel Sancho, the Vicar of Tayabas became the main Opposition Went to Manila for personal plea but was still denied (both from religious and secular sectors) Accused by Manuel Sancho that sacrilegious acts were committed (called indigenous pope) Confradia forced to hide in mountains by Spanish and Pampangan forces

Legacy of Confradia
Apolinario was caught and executed Nov. 04, 1841 Inspired other rebellions Intensified campaigns to Filipinize clergy (GomBurZa) Survivors hid in Mount San Cristobal and Banahao but by 1870 changed their name to Colorums which continued to fight in the American and early Filipino time

Bandit popes

2 primary reactions to Spanish conquest

Acceptance Few could escape effects of Spanish power Christianity Western legal codes Language Defiance Escapees
Remontados or montestas Relatively harmless if left alone

Bandits and outlaws

Tulisanes or Ladrones Disrupted countryside

Development of banditry
Originally Banditry and outlaws as figures of desperation Violence due to blood feuds Solitary murders and assaults due to tragedy Late 19th century Rural crime begins to take on class connotations Enemies of the peasantry
Estate owners, lawyers, usurers, friars, Chinese merchants

Inter-hamlet raids
Distant settlements

Methods of propagation
The Robin Hood mythos Claimed supernatural powers
Anting-anting
Invulnerability aura, resurrection

Reincarnations of divine beings or folk-heroes

Rizal, Jesus Christ

Response
Police forces
Spain Guardia Civil USA Philippine Constabulary

3 classes of outlaw
Ladrones Ladrones politicos Ladrones fanaticos

Early 20th century

Banditry erupted everywhere, likened to a hydra
Colorums Guardia de Honor Pulajanes & Colorados Cazadores Babailanes Santos Ninos Hermanos del Tercero Orden Soldados Militantes de la Iglesia

Example: Papa Isio Babailanes

The Negros Republic: Disenchanted workers join Papa Isio
Alienation due to elites collaboration with Americans

Early successes brought more converts/ followers US Army Philippine Constabulary

Signal for major action. Failed

Hearts and minds campaign by PC

Colorumism

Colorumism
Generic term used for messianic phenomena Folk Christian religious communities Peasant-based social movements Form of religious protest

First indication: Surigao and Agusan, Mindanao

Religious friction between Catholics, Rizalistas, Aglipayans and Colorums Police and Constables efforts of restricting sectarian activities (folk rites of the Colorum group) 1910 to 1920: islands of Siargao and Bucas Grande

Bucas Grande uprising

Soccoro: displeasure with the parish priest provoked people to abandon Christianism 1917: Aglipayans won 90% of Bucas Grande people Laureano Solamo (supremo of Visayan Colorums) sent emissaries Late 1918: halens began to arrive from Bohol, Leyte, Cebu and Samar

Colorumism in Bucas Grande

Compulsory prayers at 4am and 6pm

Organized devotions for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary

Labored assigned tasks such as farming, fishing and lumbering

Required to give up personal property and settle in tightly organized villages

Houses are of same shape and size

Living a Colorum life

Gender and status segregation Prohibitions Spiritual hierarchy: - Supremo - Lantayug - Pators - Decorians

Courtship of either formal or informal way was forbidden

Starting Point
Quarter-century since 1806: elevated a group of fallen patriots (Rizal and Bonifacio) to the status of semi-divine or divine beings Rizal is comparable to Jesus Christ Felix Bernales (Lantayug) = reincarnation of Jose Rizal

Lantayugs Performance
Predicted universal calamity Only Bucas Grandes most dedicated inhabitants could hope to escape Socorro = Eternal City Jose Rizal will dispense justice and well-being from a golden throne Preparations for doomsday emerged

Colorums vs Government
Primary worry: rapid growth of the cult Refused to pay taxes Bad state of public health Landowners against confiscatory views on property and forced conversions in Surigao and Agusan Policemen saw it as an extortion racket

Colorums vs Government
Surveillance in Bucas Grande (barrio Soccoro and Pamosaingan) Some constables abused their authority Noteable people Captain Valentin Juan (Pamosiangan Massacre) Gov. Pedro Coleto Gov. Leonard Wood Col. C.H. Bowers

Colorum vs Government: Pamosiangan Massacre

Moment of truth: destruction of Socorros bathing tanks Proclaimed 1924 the year of Divine Retribution Transformed barrio Pamosaingan into Pulajanstyle fortification Only two badly slashed troopers were able to escape

Fall of the Colorums

Lantayugs Plan
Seize Constabulary HQ and government buildings Captured officials and troopers sentenced to death Surigao be proclaimed the first state in a Rizalist theocracy Unequal encounters between the Constabulary and the Colorums

Fall of the Colorums

Lantayug, other leaders and 190 Colorums pleaded innocent before the Court of First Instance Under Judge Jalbuena, were it not for the fact that.. all [of them] are uneducated and ignorant, each would have been sentenced to capital punishment. Categoriezed Solamo as a profit-seeking swindler In 1924, Constabulary officers brought heterodox peasant leaders under close surveillance

REPORT RECAP
Definitions of messianism and millenarianism
messianism - Belief in a messiah millenarianism - Any belief in a future period of ideal peace and happiness

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REPORT RECAP
Agrarian Reform
is a complex policy issue touching on a countless problems in the social, economic and political life of a third world nation.

Religious Rebellions
- Filipinos felt alienated from their culture - Super naturalistic theme to dominate popular uprisings

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REPORT RECAP
Philippine examples of messianism and millenarianism:
Confradia de San Jose Bandit pope Colorum

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REPORT RECAP
21st Century examples
- Jewish Messianism - Christian Messianism - Muslim Mahdi and Isa - Buddhist, Hindu and the Zoroastrian - Rizalistas in the Philippines - Jehovahs Witnesses - 2012 Dooms Day

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