Land of bondage, land of the free : social revolution in the Philippines / Raul S. Manglapus.

Includes bibliographical references.

This publication gives insight to the brilliant years of his service to the Philippine government. Over the past two decades, a great social revolution has been sweeping through Asia. First stirred by the ideas and techniques, the philosophy and technology, the systems of government and material goods brought by Western colonizers, and then spurred on by the retreat of the colonizers after the war, the revolution has often taken on violent forms, sweeping away both the colonial masters and the traditional leadership, upsetting the old order, but not yet quite adjusted to the new. Indeed in many cases not yet Land of Bondage – Land of the Free Raul S. Manglapus 236 having devised a new political and social order to replace the old. In most countries of Asia, the revolution overthrew both colonial master and traditional leader in one blow. In the Philippines, however, the transfer of power from the United States to the traditional landowning elite was gradual and orderly. The sharp thrust of revolution was thus blunted, and the traditional elite remains in power to this day, heating down sporadic outbursts of armed rebellion. In most countries of Asia, the revolution overthrew both colonial master and traditional leader in one blow. In the Philippines, however, the transfer of power from the United States to the traditional landowning elite was gradual and orderly. The sharp thrust of revolution was thus blunted, and the traditional elite remains in power to this day, beating down sporadic outbursts of armed rebellion. But in recent years a quiet revolution has been taking shape in the Philippines intended to diffuse political and economic power among the masses. Uniquely in Asia, this revolution is being carried out through the regular democratic institutions. How this is being done can be seen clearly in the pages of this book, in which are reproduced the significant portions of the proceedings in the Philippine Senate on three revolutionary measures meant to redistribute power, currently in the hands of the elite few, among the long-dispossessed many. These measures would institute land reform, strengthen provincial and city governments and restore a degree of self-government to the Philippine village. All of them were sponsored by Senator Raul S. Manglapus, one of the leaders — and indisputably the most eloquent spokesman — of new Philippine challenge to the rule of its old oligarchy.