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Biala, Christine Joyce G. 01 March 2016PI 100

Pre-Hispanic Class Structure, a! an" #r"er

$hat si%ilarities an" "i&erences "o you see 'et!een the class structure in 16 th-century

Philippines an" 21st-century Philippines(

) person can percei*e the !orl"

he li*es in an" reali+e that lie is

unair, an" it/s not si%ply so%e %ere

'a" luc or unoreseen circu%stances.

It/s ust that a person !as alrea"y 'orn

to 'e either %ore a*ora'le or lessortunate than another. Mean!hile, Joe is

an a*erae person, 'ut ho! a*erae can

an a*erae person e3actly 'e(

Social classes ha*e e3iste" since

the rise o ci*ili+ations, an" ha*e ne*er

aile" to pro%ote social ine4uality,

e3cept or co%%unis%. 5hey are

syste%ati+e" into hierarchies !hich

ser*e their roles in the society. 16th-

century Philippines !ere "i*i"e" socio-

politically, as co%pare" to theconte%porary ilipinos !ho are "i*i"e"

socioecono%ically.

Hihest social rans ha*e al!ays

'een the %ost pri*ilee". In 16th-

century, there !ere datus. )s the social

an" political syste%s !ere stronly

interconnecte", they assu%e" political

responsi'ilities as they lea" an"

o*erne" their people, settle" "isputes,

protecte" the territory ro% ene%ies,

an" lea" in 'attles. 5hey !ere not 'ratslet 'y their athers to leisurely sit still

unsille", as they !ere traine" an"

speciali+e" as !ell. 5hey accu%ulate" as

%uch !ealth as they coul" ac4uire,

!hich shoul" 'e a ar cry ro% 'ein

in"e'te", !hich !as co%%only the

reason !hy people !ere "e%ote" as

sla*es. 5heir conte%porary counterparts

are the hih-inco%e class, !hose people

rane ro% capitalist politicians to

corporate iants to the %ost in7uential

%ulti-%illionaire cele'rities !ith %ultiple*entures. ie the datus, they

accu%ulate !ealth an" assets as !ell,

!hich is their stronest suit, in

"eclaration o 8nancial an" 83e"

ac4uisitions !hich are proportional to

their social status. So%e %ay interere

!ith politics, !hile others ha*e e%pireso their o!n, such as corporate entities

an" an 'ases9thin o Henry Sy an" his

%all e%pire.

#ther people %ay also upra"e

their social statuses. :urin 16th century,

there occurre" inter%arriaes 'et!een

"i&erent social rans, !ith the spouse o 

lo!er social ran assu%e" an in-

'et!een ran as !ell as the

responsi'ilities alon !ith it. 5o"ay,

people are "istinuishe" accor"in totheir 4uality o lie9occupations, ranin

ro% entry-le*el to e3ecuti*e positions,

capacity to pay, liestyle, ac4uisition o 

assets, orani+ational status,

reputations, etc.

Mi""le%en ha*e al!ays ha"

ree"o%, as !ell as ha*in

responsi'ilities !hich ser*e" an

a"*antae to the rulin class. In 16th

century, there !ere the timawas, !ho

!ere calle" the ree%en as they !ereree ro% any 8nancial insta'ility. 5hey

ser*e" alonsi"e the rulin class as

nihts an" hi"alos. Timawas,

especially those !ho ele*ate" their

social rans, ha" to pro*e the%sel*es as

true an" reconi+e" ginoos.

Mean!hile, all %o"ern-"ay citi+ens are

entitle" to ree !ill, !ith ui"ance

accor"in to the la!, rather than a

pri*ilee to a particular status. 5he

conte%porary %i""le%en are %i"-

inco%e earners, !ho are also sille" asthey !or in *arious occupations an"

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in"ustries, an" their sills taen

a"*antae 'y larer entities, %ay it 'e

or the 'ene8t o hu%anity or or pro8t.

Mi""le class has a !i"e rane ;e..

upper-%i""le an" lo!er-%i""le