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CHAPTER 1: ADMITTING THE EXISTENCE OF INDOLENCE

SUMMARY: Rizal admits that indolence does exist among theFilipinos, but it cannot be attributed to the troubles and backwardnessof the country; rather it is the effect of the backwardness and troublesexperienced by the country. Past writings on indolence revolve onlyon either denying or affirming, and never studying its causes in depth.One must study the causes of indolence, Rizal says, before curing it.He therefore enumerates the causes of indolence and elaborates onthe circumstances that have led to it. The hot climate, he points out,is a reasonable predisposition for indolence. Filipinos cannot becompared to Europeans, who live in cold countries and who mustexert much more effort at work. An hour ' s work under the Philippinesun, he says, is equivalent to a day ' s work in temperate regions.

CHAPTER 2 INDOLENCE OF CHRONIC ILLNESS

SUMMARY: Rizal says that an illness will worsen if the wrongtreatment is given. The same applies to indolence. People, however,

should not lose hope in fighting indolence. Even before the Spaniardsarrived, Rizal argues, the early Filipinos were already carrying outtrade within provinces and with other neighboring countries; theywere also engaged in agriculture and mining; some natives evenspoke Spanish. All this disproves the notion that Filipinos are bynature indolent. Rizal ends by asking what then would have causedFilipinos to forget their past.

CHAPTER 3: WARS, INSURRECTIONS, EXPEDITIONS ANDINVASION

SUMMARY: Rizal enumerates several reasons that may have causedthe Filipinos ' cultural and economic decadence. The frequent wars,

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insurrections, and invasions have brought disorder to thecommunities. Chaos has been widespread, and destruction rampant.Many Filipinos have also been sent abroad to fight wars for Spain orfor expeditions. As a result, the population has decreased in number.As forced labor, many men have been sent to shipyards to constructvessels. Meanwhile, natives who have had enough of abuse havegone to the mountains. As a result, the farms have been neglected.The so-called indolence of Filipinos definitely has deeply rootedcauses.

CHAPTER 4: DEATH OF TRADE IN THE PHILIPPINES

SUMMARY: Filipinos, according to Rizal, are not responsible for theirmisfortunes, as they are not their own masters. The Spanishgovernment has not encouraged labor and trade, which ceased afterthe government treated the country ' s neighboring trade partnerswith great suspicion. Trade has declined, furthermore, because ofpirate attacks and the many restrictions imposed by the government,which gives no aid for crops and farmers. This and the abusesuffered under encomenderos have caused many to abandon thefields. Businesses are monopolized by many government officials,red tape and bribery operate on a wide scale, rampant gambling istolerated by the government. This situation is compounded by theChurch ' s wrong doctrine which holds that the rich will not go toheaven, thus engendering a wrong attitude toward work. There hasalso been discrimination in education against natives. These aresome of the main reasons that Rizal cites as causing the deteriorationof values among the Filipinos.

CHAPTER 5: LIMITED TRAINING AND EDUCATION

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SUMMARY: According to Rizal, all the causes of indolence can bereduced to two factors. The first factor is the limited training andeducation Filipino natives receive. Segregated from Spaniards,Filipinos do not receive the same opportunities that are available tothe foreigners. They are taught to be inferior. The second factor is thelack of a national sentiment of unity among them. Because Filipinosthink they are inferior, they submit to the foreign culture and doeverything to imitate it. The solution, according to Rizal, would beeducation and liberty.