The Research On Ethnic Chinese Of The Philippines From The Perspective Of The Patron-client System

Overseas Chinese,which has long-standing immigration of history,are the most eminent minority in Philippines.Even though compared with other main countries in the Southeast Asia, Chinese has accounted for less percentages in Philippines,the contribution and impact of Chinese in Philippines cannot be denied.By virtue of leading the development of commerce and trade,integrating smoothly into the Philippines,Chinese can take an indispensable part in the Philippine politics and economy,and can be an essential part of social advancement.Chinese have taken a significant role in the development of Philippine history.The Philippines,where had ever been colonized by Spain,USA and Japan,suffered the longest-running of colonial rule in the Southeast Asia.However, with the joint efforts of Chinese and Philippines,experienced the endless progress struggled for indepence and democracy, the goal of independence had come ture in the end.Nowadays the Philippines are striving for democratic transition. Similarly,the Philippines have been affected by the clientelistic tradition in the Southeast Asia,and the clientelistic system in Philippines has taken on long development progress, in which experiences the transformation from traditional moral clientelism with land in the core to modern polistic clientelism with allocating the national resources in the core.Whether in the traditional society or in the progress of nation-state development,clientelism can adapt itself to the vicissitudes of history.Clientelism can make far-reaching influences both on the modern polistic activities and the development of economic society.As the participant of the development of the society in Philippines,the problem of Chinese how to live and grow with the dominance of clientelistic tradition should be pondered deeply.This paper,which set in the background of evolution of history in Philippines,combining with specific cases,analyzes the form,degree and influence of Chinese participanting via all kinds of clientelistic nerwork,and discusses the mutual relationships between local society and the ethnic groups of Chinese,and the characteristics about the system and culture with the influence of clientelism from the pre-colonial times to modern democratic transitional times.During the Spainish colonial period,Chinese were forced to the pyramidal clientelistic network.Chinese,which segregate from the Philippines,underwent oppression from the Spainish colonists.Chinese had to establish clientelistic relationship with colonial government in oder to live.On the one hand,Chinese implemented cabecilla system that served as the intermediary in the trade between Spain and Philippines in the economy.On the another hand,Chinese took advantage of captain system for clientelism in the politics.Under the influence of the transplantion of the west representative democracy and much more liberal social environment during the American colonial times,Chinese began to create the consciousness about participating in the clientelistic network.But the policies of isolation and the attitude of discrimination in this time made Chinese in a passive position so that Chinese took part in the clientelistic politics completely limitedly.During the period of independence,under the influence of the parochial thought about nationalism and Filipinzed movement,Chinese were excluded from independent government,so Chinese were still dependent on government’s patron-client relationship passively.In the economy,Chinese took advantage of the FFCCII,which represented the interests of Chinese merchants,to establish patron-client relationship with municipal government.During the period of Macros dictatorship,modern elective clientelistic relationship merged with democratic system made the family politics reach its peak.Macros needed Chinese to build politic alliance in order to strengthen his authoritarian regime.Chinese all joined Filippine nationalities and the tendency of Chinese and Filippines merged together gave Chinese much more relaxed room to participate in the clientelistic politics.What’s more,Chinese rich merchants took advantage of "crony capitalism" to participate in Macros’pyramidal clientelistic network.When the Philippines experienced democratic transition,the politics of Philippine clientelistic party continues to develop.Chinese as individuals take an active part in the political activities,and Chinese party elites and the "taipan" of Chinese enterprise groups are important participants embedding into Philippine clientelistic network.In conclusion,clientelism is prevailing in the Philippines.Chinese,as the minority of the Philippines were in a vulnerable condition in the colonized times and were viewed as submitted target after independence.Only to continuously debug to fit the traditional clientelistic system,and to develop the major part in the local clientelistic network.Although Philippine patron-client relationship can produce corruption,money politics,pork barrel and extreme disparity between the rich and the poor.Native habitants deem that Chinese are the source of the adverse effects rather than find that the invisible clientelism is the fundamental reason.The misleading hinders deeper degree of development between the fusion of Chinese and Philippines.However,Chinese participate in the network of the clientelistic relationship can break through the restrict of horizontal factors such as race and class.It is beneficial for Chinese to improve survival environment and highten social position.Clientelism deep-rooted is always taking a leading role in the advancement of Philippine politics and economy that makes the pace of political democracy slow down.If Chinese want to integrate in political affairs roundly,they must participate in clientelism actively in order to guarantee them to develop stably in Philippines.