The Wolf

“The Revolution failed because it was badly directed, because its leader won his post not with praiseworthy but with blameworthy acts, because instead of employing the most useful men of the nation he jealously discarded them.” - Apolinario Mabini

iwriteasiwrite:

ellobofilipino:

“The Revolution failed because it was badly directed, because its leader won his post not with praiseworthy but with blameworthy acts, because instead of employing the most useful men of the nation he jealously discarded them. Believing that the advance of the people was no more than his own personal advance, he did not rate men according to their ability, character and patriotism but according to the degree of friendship or kinship binding him to them; and wanting to have favorites willing to sacrifice themselves for him, he showed himself lenient to their faults. Because he disdained the people, he could not fall like an idol of wax melting in the heat of heat of adversity. May we never forget such a terrible lesson learned at the cost of unspeakable sufferings!”

— Apolinario Mabini, as quoted by Nick Joaquin in A Question of Heroes. Strange isn’t it that the minister would speak of nepotism and politics in the Philippines long after he’s gone. We never learn.  

One historian, who I was discussing Mabini with, pointed out that Mabini (by this point) was in exile in Guam. The Revolution had failed and he was far away from home.

During the Revolution, he was the power behind the ‘throne’; one of the trusted advisors who lost his position of authority. And in many ways he blamed Aguinaldo both for the loss of the Revolution and the loss of his (Mabini’s) authority. He was a bitter and angry man who felt betrayed by the Revolution he so ardently supported. Let’s not forget who was ‘discarded’ (himself). Even as he masterminded at the time some of its more notorious and cold blooded acts (Bonifacio’s execution for one). Much like Pio Valenzuela later on, there is a modicum of personal exculpation involved in their remembrances. 

I think Mabini’s analysis of the Revolution has to be filtered through his personal circumstances at the time; especially since some of his reflections were contradicted by what know from the period. 

Mabini, Valenzuela, et al remind us that memoirs (especially post-revolutionary memoirs long after effects have passed) are always suspect primary source materials. That is not to say they don’t have value, obviously they do. But they have to be corroborated by additional sources (whether documentary or other reflections).

Anyway, there is still serious merit to the work. Just an additional note for thought.

Thanks my friend. And yep, you reminded me also of Paterno, Valenzuela and Aguinaldo - all of whom magnified their roles and modified their thoughts of the Revolution after it had ended and they have assumed other lives.

What actually came to my mind after coming across this again is the contemporary context of Philippine politics, especially in how we have often had “revolutions” to do away with leaders who we’ve perceived as repressive and corrupt.

While we may have authored and had several of the almost bloodless “People Power” revolutions, we seem to always end up still plagued by the same problems of corruption, red-tape and abuse of power. We fail at doing away with the dysfunctional political and sociological system which we have detested since the Revolution.

And since most of us do not appreciate our history as much as we should, it would seem that we never learn.

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11. ellobofilipino reblogged this from iwriteasiwrite and added:

    Thanks my friend. And yep, you reminded me also of Paterno, Valenzuela and Aguinaldo - all of whom magnified their roles...

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13. iwriteasiwrite reblogged this from ellobofilipino and added:

    One historian, who I was discussing Mabini with, pointed out that Mabini (by this point) was in exile in Guam. The...

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