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The Iloilo General Strike: Defeat of the Proletariat in a Philippine Colonial City

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 April 2011

Alfred W. McCoy
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Extract

In contrast to the rich historical literature on Southeast Asia's peasants, there are few studies of their urban counterparts, the proletariat of the colonial port cities. The region's rural revolts have inspired a growing literature on peasant politics and social history. But there has been little parallel research on the urban working class — stevedores, transport workers, and millhands.

Type
Symposium on Societal Organization in Mainland Southeast Asia Prior to the Eighteenth Century
Information
Journal of Southeast Asian Studies , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , September 1984 , pp. 331 - 364
Copyright
Copyright © The National University of Singapore 1984

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References

1 For a discussion of this point see articles by White, Christine Pelzer, Kau, Ying-Mao, and Tilly, Charles in Peasant Rebellion and Communist Revolution in Asia, ed. Lewis, John Wilson (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1974). The editors of a collection of essays on Third World workers made the same observation about the literature's limitations inGoogle ScholarPeasants and Proletarians: The Struggles of Third World Workers, ed. Cohen, Robin, Gutkind, PeterC. W., and Brazier, Phyllis (London: Hutchinson, 1979), pp. 10–11Google Scholar.

2 Basu, Dilip K., “Introduction: Perspectives on the Colonial Port City in Asia”, in The Rise and Growth of Colonial Port Cities in Asia, ed. Basu, Dilip K. (Santa Cruz: Center for South Pacific Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1979), pp. xiv–xxvGoogle Scholar.

3 Murphey, Rhoads, “Epilog: What Remains to be Done”, in Basu, ed., Colonial Port Cities, pp. 250–54Google Scholar.

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5 The use of this term is based on the following literature: Basu, ed., Colonial Port Cities; Mur-phey, Rhoads, “Traditionalism and Colonialism: Changing Urban Roles in Asia”, Journal of Asian Studies 29, 1 (1969): 67–84;CrossRefGoogle ScholarMcGee, T.G., The SoutheastAsian City (London: Bell & Sons, 1967); and a very thought-provoking conference paper,Google ScholarReeves, Peter, Broeze, Frank, McPherson, Kenneth, “Port Cities: The Conceptual Problems”, Australian Historical Association (Sydney: History '82 Conference, 08 1982)Google Scholar.

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7 Ibid., 2: 1260.

8 For a discussion of these transformations, see McCoy, Alfred W., “A Queen Dies Slowly: The Rise and Decline of Iloilo City”, in Philippine Social History: Global Trade and Local Transformations, ed. McCoy, A. W. & Jesus, E. C. de (Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1982), pp. 291–358Google Scholar.

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12 Letter from Ynchausti Iloilo to Fritz von Kauffmann, 29 Apr. 1930, File: Fritz von Kauffmann Sr., Ynchausti y Compania, Iloilo (hereafter YCO).

13 Czarnikow-Rionda Company, “Circular Semenal de Azucar”, Dec. 1931.

14 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 29 Apr. 1930, YCO; interviews with Alfredo Palmejar, FOF treasurer, Iloilo City, 9 Dec. 1973, and Ignacio Montinola, cabecilla at Tabacalera, Iloilo City, 1 Sept. 1974.

15 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 9 Apr. 1930, YCO; interviews with 28 surviving members Gremio Tabacalera, Iloilo Province, 1974 and 1975.

16 Kauffmann to Miguel M. Yrisarry, 30 Apr. 1930, YCO.

17 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 3 May 1930, YCO.

18 Kauffmann to Yrisarry, 7 May 1930. YCO.

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20 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 10 May 1930, YCO.

21 Kauffmann to Yrisarry, 14 May 1930, YCO.

22 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 13 May 1930, YCO.

23 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 17 May 1930; Makinaugalingon (Iloilo), 26 May 1930; Tribune, 18 May 1930; “Twenty Second Annual Report of the Bureau of Labor”, Quezon Papers.

24 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 20 May 1930, YCO.

25 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 23 May 1930, YCO.

26 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 16 Aug. 1930, YCO; Makinaugalingon, 13 Aug. 1930; Tribune, 17 Aug. 1930; Progress (Cebu), 19 Aug. 1930.

27 Makinaugalingon, 20 Aug. 1930.

28 Interviews with former Vistranco stevedores, most importantly, Jose Quilantang, Iloilo City, 3 Dec. 1974, and Leon Herrera, Iloilo City, 5 Jan. 1975.

29 Makinaugalingon, 20 Aug. 1930,22 Aug. 1930, Progress, 24 Aug. 1930; Tribune, 5 Sept. 1930; Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 30 Aug. 1930, YCO.

30 Kauffmann to Ynchausti Ilotlo, 27 Aug. 1930, YCO; Kauffmann to Ynchausti Iloilo, 3 Sept. 1930, YCO.

31 Progress, 24 Aug. 1930; Makinaugalingon, 8 Sept. 1930; “Twenty Second Annual Report of the Bureau of Labor”, Quezon Papers.

32 Kauffmann to Ynchausti Iloilo, 17 May 1930, YCO; interview with Cesar Sotto, president of FOF Cebu Branch, Quezon City, 29 Feb. 1976, and Manuel Palacios, president FOFNegros Occ. Branch, Dancalan, Negros Occ, 27 Aug. 1975.

33 Progress, 27 Apr. 1930.

34 El Tiempo (Iloilo), 27 Oct. 1930,24 Oct. 1930,25 Oct. 1930.

35 Makinaugalingon, 1 Oct. 1930,25 Aug. 1930.

36 Makinaugalingon, 17 Oct. 1930; El Tiempo, 24 Aug. 1930.

37 El Tiempo, 27 Oct. 1930.

38 Makinaugalingon, 31 Oct. 1930; Tribune, 8 Dec. 1930.

39 Tribune,9 Dec. 1930.

40 Progress, 12 Dec. 1930; El Tiempo, 19 Dec. 1930; Makinaugalingon, 8 Dec. 1930; El Tiempo, 6 Jan. 1931.

41 FOF, Ivory Book, p. 20.

42 El Tiempo, 17 Dec. 1929.

43 El Tiempo, 27 Nov. 1930.

44 El Tiempo, 6 Nov. 1930.

45 El Tiempo, 27 Dec. 1930.

46 El Tiempo, 10 Jan. 1931,19 Jan. 1931;Ynchausti Iloilo to Joaquin Elizalde, 6 Jan. 1931, YCO.

47 Ynchausti Iloilo to Joaquin Elizalde, 13 Jan. 1931, YCO.

48 El Tiempo, 19 Jan. 1931; Manager Central La Carlota to Joaquin Elizalde, 19 Jan. 1931; Ynchausti Iloilo t o Joaquin Elizalde, 24 Jan. 1931, YCO.

49 Manager Central La Carlota to Joaquin Elizalde, 19 Jan. 1931, YCO.

50 Ibid.; Cable to Ynchausti Manila, 17 Jan. 1931, YCO.

51 Ynchausti Iloilo to Ynchausti Manila, 17 Jan. 1931, YCO.

52 Ynchausti Iloilo to Joaquin Elizalde, 20 Jan. 1931, YCO.

53 El Tiempo, 21 Jan. 1931, 22 Jan. 1931.

54 El Tiempo, 27 Jan. 1931.

55 Letter from Central La Carlota to Joaquin Elizalde, 31 Jan. 1931, YCO.

56 Interview with Crisanto Nacion, Barrio Crossing, La Carlota, 25 Jul. 1975.

57 Makinaugalingon, 9 Feb. 1931.

58 La Vanguardia, 7 03. 1931; Makinaugalingon, 23 Feb. 1931; Kauffmann to Francisco Lopez, 27 Jan. 1932, YCO; Tribune, 20 Jan. 1932Google Scholar.

59 Ynchausti Iloilo to Joaquin Elizalde, 17 Mar. 1933, YCO; El Tiempo, 29 Jan. 1931.

60 El Tiempo,29 Jan. 1931.

61 Tribune, 6 Feb. 1931; Progress, 6 Feb. 1931; El Tiempo, 28 Jan. 1931; Makinaugalingon, 13 Feb. 1931; Progress, 27 Feb. 1931.

62 Tribune, 3 Feb. 1931.

63 Progress, 8 Feb. 1931,27 Feb. 1931.

64 El Tiempo, 28 Jan. 1931.

65 El Tiempo, 29 Jan. 1931.

66 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 7 02. 1931, YCOGoogle Scholar.

67 El Tiempo, 29 Jan. 1931.

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70 Makinaugalingon, 2 02. 1931Google Scholar.

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72 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 7 02. 1931, YCOGoogle Scholar.

73 Herald (Manila), 5 02. 1931Google Scholar.

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75 Ynchausti Manila to Gifford Stower, 28 01. 1931, YCOGoogle Scholar.

76 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 7 02. 1931, 10 Feb. 1931, YCOGoogle Scholar.

77 Lopez to Miguel Yrisarry, 20 02. 1931Google Scholar; Miguel Yrisarry to Ynchausti Iloilo, 21 02. 1931Google Scholar; Ynchausti Iloilo to Joaquin Elizalde, 11 02. 1931, YCOGoogle Scholar.

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82 Ynchausti Itoilo to Kauffmann, 29 12. 1930, YCOGoogle Scholar.

83 Barnes, C. C. of Warner-Barnes Manila to Ynchausti Insurance Department, Manila, 1 07 1932, YCOGoogle Scholar.

84 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 17 02. 1931Google Scholar; Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 15 03. 1932, YCOGoogle Scholar.

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91 Ynchausti Iloilo to Kauffmann, 9 06 1931, YCOGoogle Scholar.

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97 Cesar Ledesma to Central La Carlota, n.d., YCO.

98 Central La Carlota to Ynchausti Manila, 19 Jan. 1931, YCO.

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