The duel of ideologies

Title

Language

English

Source

The Cabletow Volume XXXIX (Issue No. 4) October 1963

Year

1963

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

THE DUEL OF IDEOLOGIES By Bro. IGNACIO NABONG Cabanatuan Lodge No. 53 A LL PEOPLES the world over arc entangled in a duel ol ideologies, and the outlook is omi nous. “Free Economy-’ must pro fess a better scheme than any other system of regimentation if it has to In the 1930 s and under Quezon’s leadership the Government has had clashes with the Communists. Again, after Liberation, Messrs. Roxas, Quirino and Magsaysay encountered troubles with the Reds in link bands, which seem to have vanished now. Yet it will be illusory to take Com munism as beaten because it may just emerge from within or from without. z\nd a policy of anti Com munism is not enough; we must eli minate conditions which make Com munism thrive. China’s late is a Iresli example, for it depicts the causes of its collapse. The ambition of the Kungs anti Soongs symbolized the corruption and nepotism of the Kuomintang — of a clique of civil and military spoilsmen who were ever interested in swelling their fortunes. China, under Chiang, staggered under the impact of poverty and hopelessness of the masses, who were left no al ternative bom despotism but to rebel. Today, the Philippines suffers from the same ills — of grafts and corruptions, of nepotism and want. •Such Illinois of the social organism, unless removed soon, augur an c< lipse. I he writing on the wall is with us, and our erratic programs may just accelerate the re-enactment of Chiang's I light to Formosa in our lands. The preservation of a Free Eco nomy rests simply in the stabiliza tion of the middle class and the peasantry; nt our plans and prom ises seem to entangle us more and more in the disruption ol ihese classes. We need agrarian reforms that will nm disrupt the present settipi otheiuise we may destroy the cohesive sentiment which binds us together. Customs gives us social stability unci need not be disturbed. As the cleavage between the rich and the poor grow bigger and big ger, the chili will be threatening. We preach libeity, democracy and social justice, bin the masses suffer from lack of jobs and hopes. With empty stomachs, they cannot be expected to be patriots. October 1963 117 Wc must do ;iw;iv with factors un favorable to our social solidarity, anti the time to do ii is "NOW!” 'The rides of honesty and fair play must be observed in private as well as in public life. Our time-tested system of checks-and-balances must accord protection against grafts and coiruplions, against the illegal use of pub lic money and properly, and against nepotism. For the people to love the government, the government must be lovely. Else voila a la Chiang Kai Shek! Even our industrialization is not scientifically or rationally organized: i-. brings big moncv to the industrial ists but squalor and hardships to the workers. The same happened in Frame. The ;tc cumulation of wealth leads but to disruptive inequalities. The seeming pi ogress we attained will remain illusory with social dislo cations. Hunger amidst plenty be gets evils. The spirit ol rebellion prospers in preparation to social dislocations. We have to admit that property and authority have a common res ponsibility of fulfilling certain social fum tions. Poveriv leads to social de generation — to violence and crimes. Regimentation mav be brought about under either Capitalism or Communism, but under the former the goal of development must be harmony between labor and capital, landowners and tenants. Social changes arc inevitable in any dynamic society; but we have to pass measures which will minimize thc evils which bring about wild dreams, poverty and crimes. Actual ly. however, the trends indicate that «.ur troubles are multiplying. We preach human dignity, but how can an individual attain such a status when he hungers and finds no place to work? The public: relief system gives no healthy outlook. In 123 B.C. Gaius etcated the relief system as a pa lliative* in Rome, but the dole stays to this day as a political football — not only in Rome but in entire Italy — where the people feel con tent that they developed indolence. Greed and luxury must give way to make life wholesome ami accept able to all classes; else the social fabric: may break. Social solidarity icquires concessions, and the privil eged classes have a common respon sibility to preserve the status quo. 1 he fallen and forgotten brothers crave for the lifting hands of the elites. And now. The ambitions of great men, the suspicions of little men, the constant misunderstanding of all men, may undermine any structure that this generation builds. If, however, we build with wisdom, and with courage, and with patience, those that come after us will be helped by our work. Our building may fall, but if we have built all right some of the foundation stones will remain and becomo part of the structure that will ultimately abide. - DWIGHT MORROW 118 The Cabletow

Media