AT FACE value, feudalism involves the ownership and cultivation of the land. It is an accepted fact that Cinco de Noviembre Revolution was “won” because of the feudal bond between the “hacenderos” and the “jornaleros.” We have to consider that even today we cannot do away with feudal attitudes.
There is a problem in our land reform program because the tenant farmers have found it difficult to mentally shift gears from being landlord-owned to small landowners. Even in our society today, we have the lesser, later-generation lords of non-land fiefdoms (the office)… where they are called managers, bosses, supervisors. At home, they still retain the position as “padre de familia.” Heads of office are not just “tatay” at home.
They are “papa,” “dad,” “honey,” or even “sir” to their relatives. (I have experienced that.) Feudal attitudes have become so pervasive even to those who have left the land… or even to those who have no land at all. Feudalism should have gone out with the dark ages to usher in industrialization and progress. In my column today, I have some “feudal attitudes” to share based on my personal and vicarious experiences. You may believe or not believe.
There was this landlord who visited his “hacienda” one day. He halted in front of the house of his “obrero.” “Ah, so you also plant eggplant, papaya, bananas, and corn at your backyard. I want you to send a basket in my house.” (End of story.) The “hacendero” is not buying them. The land belongs to him… so he also expects to share from the backyard garden of his worker. “Ventajoso!” (Taking advantage.)
I know of the highest official of the Department of Education in Negros who is a “Ma’am” in the division and a “señora” at home. She would order her maid to cook dozens of “empanada” before sleeping. She would be selling “empanadas” to the teachers. The net profit would be for the salary of the maid. I hope the maid does not spit on the ingredients.
There was this office casual employee in one firm who got bundles to be typed for urgent concern. The secretary of the boss acts more than the boss when the boss is out of office. “Binky, you type the assignment of my son during lunch break.” The statement is more of a command than a request. The casual employee has to answer, “Yes, Ma’am.” The poor girl has only one hour for lunch break.
There is also feudal attitude in loyalty. I know of some politicians who want their employees to hate also their enemies in politics at all times. In Sociology, we call this “external gratitude” and “complete fealty”… “utang na loob” that could end in “loob sa utang.” The feudal boss employs also paternalistic tack. He brings his staff “pasalubong” after his trip abroad. Staff members are also invited in his house to taste what ordinary employees cannot afford.
In one factory, one hard-working guy cannot be promoted because he does not praise his boss for his new haircut, new polo barong, and even the lipstick of his wife. The other guy who works hard only when the boss is there but always talks the praises for the boss has been considered loyal and the promotion is for him.
Even at home, feudal parents screen their children’s friends and decide whom they are to marry. A feudal husband may even demand that his wife and his wife alone serves his meal. He even dictates his wife what comes first in bed. You may laugh but some husbands have feudal attitude even in sex. I call it “sexual feudalism.”
I once interviewed a “hacendera” who was so proud in telling me that most of the “muchachas” and “muchachos” (servants) in her villa come from the unbroken line of five generations serving her family. She got plenty of them and the maids were acting like robots following the sound of the bell in the hand of the “hacendera” witch.
Please forgive me. I have documented (long ago) a feudal practice of “droit a seigneur.” A feudal landlord assumes prerogative to choose freely from among the workers’ daughters. That could be the reason why I hate offices who are just hiring female workers with “pleasing” personality (to the boss). The one accepted is having nice boobs even she cannot construct a single sentence.
I also hate the unspoken policy for female factory workers wherein the supervisors practice the “lie-down-or-you’re-laid-off.” I also dislike parents who want their eldest son to take up engineering, the second son to study law… and their only girl to become a teacher so that she can just be near home and take care of the parents when they are sick.
I don’t want to sound like a non-conformist, but I simply want to demonstrate feudal attitudes in our Philippine society. These are just stories. We can start finding truth in there. It is also possible that some of us are also the main characters in these stories.
