A history of the Philippines : from the Spanish colonization to the Second World War
by Renato Constantino, with the collaboration of Letizia R. Constantino.
- New York : Monthly Review Press, c1975.
- xii, 459 p. ; 21 cm.
Published in 1975 under title: The Philippines
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Unlike other conventional histories, the unifying thread of A History of the Philippines is the struggle of the peoples themselves against various forms of oppression, from Spanish conquest and colonization to U.S. imperialism. Constantino provides a penetrating analysis of the productive relations and class structure in the Philippines, and how these have shaped―and been shaped by―the role of the Filipino people in the making of their history. Additionally, he challenges the dominant views of Spanish and U.S. historians by exposing the myths and prejudices propagated in their work, and, in doing so, makes a breakthrough toward intellectual decolonization. This book is an indispensable key to the history of conquest and resistance in the Philippines.