POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF SPANISH COLONIZATION

A. Political aspects
 Centralized Government
The Philippines being a crown colony was placed under the absolute control of the king. VICE ROYAL of Nueva Espana(Mexico) was given charge to govern the Philippines in behalf of the king 1524 King Charles V established the REAL y SUPREMO de las INDIAS (ROYAL AND SUPREME COUNCIL OF INDIES), a political body that governed all spanish possesions.

Recopilacion de leyes de los reynos de ls indias was a set of laws first compiled by
the spanish cortes
 Two ancient Castilian Constitution

A.) Residencia was a legal body that conducted an investigation and on the performance of an official b.) Visita had far greater impact than the residencia in terms of the manner of investigation

Governor-general or Gobernador general

 Highest official of the central government, was     

appointed by the consejo de las indias Held office at Intramuros Manila, recognized as the seat of the national government Captain-general or the commander-in-chief of the army and navy He was the president of the royal audiencia or supreme court highest judicial body in the spanish colonies Granted with numerous prerogatives and discretionary powers for some reasons

Alcalde Mayor or provincial governor

leads or govern all alcaldias or pacified areas

Corregidores
Govern all unpacified areas or corregimientos examples of unpacified areas  Mariveles  Mindoro  Panay

Gobernadorcillo or little governor governs the towns(pueblos) Ayuntamiento or Cabildo governing body of each city CEBU -- declared as the first city in 1569 Manila -- became city in 1571

 Cabeza de barangay -- headed the barangay which is considered as the local lowest unit -- was the tax collector of the contributions forwarded to the gobernadorcillo -- this position was given to the former datu s

INTRODUCTION OF SPANISH LAWS

19TH CENTURY -- Roman civil laws, penal, and commercial codes where introduced in the Philippines Abolition of slavery in the Philippines -- most important humanitarian laws passed in accordance to the laws of indies

 August 9,1589

--King Philip II issued a royal decree to further strengthen to the enforcement of such law  April 18,1591 -- Pope Gregory XIV issued a Papal bull at Rome which strengthened the decree of King Philip II

B. ECONOMIC ASPECTS
 Public Taxation

The various kinds of taxes paid in cash or in kind equivalent to 8 reales( one peseta) were exacted from the Filipinos until 1884 1589 t0 1851 -- the amount of taxes increases to 10 reales up to 12 reales (Each of the native pay a tribute to anyone unmarried male member over {20 years old} living with parents was duty bound to pay half of the tribute)

Exempted to pay the taxes were the :  Elders  Beggars  Disabled

NUMEROUS FORMS OF TAXES

 Sanctorium (three reales)

-- a tax amounted to three reales and collected by the government and in turned given to the church  Caja de comunidad -- a tax of one real used as a community fund later its named was changed to cedula tax

presently known as the residence tax

 Donativo de Zamboanga

-- was imposed in almost all of the provinces between 1635 and the middle of the 19th century.  Fifths -- laborers and owners(gold mining industry) paid this kind of tax  Bandala -- is an indirect tax imposed on the Filipino farmers

Pampanga and the Tagalog regions -- practices the bandala because they are the major crop producing areas  Polo y Servicios (force labor) -- another form of indirect tax -- required all male Filipino s between ages 16 to 60 to render service for 40 days a year {Polistas told to be paid real a day and provided with rice upon actual performance of the polo y servicios}

--Falla payment to be paid to have an exemption from duty to render force labor was considered as a form of bribery and class discrimination 1884 -- demolition of sanctorium, caja de comunidad and tribute was implemented

Personal cedula tax -- replacement of the tribute --imposed in every male and female resident of the Philippines who were 18 years old -- all residents(Filipino, Spaniards, Chinese, or Foreigner) was required to pay the new tax -- amount to be paid range from 50 centavos to 37.50 depending on the income of the tax payer

 Real Situado

-- a financial aide given by the treasury of the Mexico to save the colonial government from bankruptcy

Encomienda System
soldiers.  It is the counterpart of the medieval europe s feudalism Encomendero ---took charge of all matters pertaining to his area of jurisdiction. --- by law they were duty bound to provide for the spiritual and material welfare of the natives placed under their jurisdiction and to defend his encomienda from enemy attact
 The owning and ruling of lands by the spanish

Two kinds of encomiendas

 The Royal or crown encomiendas

-- refered to lands reserved for the crown and included the principal towns and ports  The private encomiendas -- were granted to individuals who were either the kings proteges or men who serve with merit during the conquest and pacification campaigns

 Cabeza de barangay

-- a former chieftain, and was given the task to be the tax collector  Encomendero -- later became the tax collector {the native tax payer were given the options of paying either in cash or in goods(rice, vegetables, fowls, and others)

The Manila Acapulco Galleon Trade (1565-1815)

 Galleons

-- commercial trading that was operated by government-owned vessels -- galley(Spanish word) meaning a vessel which is very similar to a war vessel during that time Manila galleons were most renowned for 250 years.

 Boletas

-- tickets given to each of the participants signifying their rights to ship goods Obras Pias -- established to ensure the smooth flow of business, and an economic institution -- it gives loans to all merchants who took part in the shipment of goods via the galleon trade -- it help to maintain charitable works for public benefit