18Javier, Raphael Angelo B. 2Eco2013051965 03/06/15

Reflection: The essay "The French Enlightenment and Bourbon Philippines" from the book Ideas and Ideals: Essays in Filipino Cognitive History by Dr. Florentino H. Hornedo discusses the period of enlightenment wherein there was a widespread intellectual revolutions and movement of rationalism and empiricism which in history would later prove its significance to the development of our modern theories and knowledge, and its influence and effects in relation to the colonial Philippines, wherein, there were certain circumstances and selfish interests leading to the degradation of humanity and the colonial abusive system of authoritative power and influence resulting to a widespread abuses and corruptions, dissipated rich natural resources and hampered social progress. One particular person, named Francisco Xavier Salgado caught my attention, for his entrepreneurial spirit and determination on his work of exploiting natural resources and developing their markets here in our native land, the Philippines was very exceptional. He was coined as the symbol of the period, taken as the perfect representative of the Spaniards activities in the colonial Philippines, conclusively; his actions and advocacies regarding the exploitation of our rich natural resources epitomize the colonizers greed of wealth, blinded advocacies corrupted by the governments thirst for power and treasury. This particular aspect could be supported by the fact that what should have been God, Glory, and Gold turned out to be the other way around, as the greed for wealth and power; literally, our colonizers had been manipulated by their allurement for wealth. This particular scenario opens us to the reality that government corruption and their lack of sense of humanity and empathy blinded by selfishness jeopardizes the development and progress of the community, and worst, the following generations of human beings who will be the one to inherit the consequences produced by the few egotistical executives. These events of malversation and egocentricity in the Spanish governments treatment of the local scenarios during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, involving the handling of the local economy, corroborate the universal economic theory that corruption is the number one cause of economic distress and a major barrier for the communitys vision of a progressive living. In our modern society, however, corruptions still lingers the system of governance and the marginalization of the societys economic statuses somehow degrades the level of humanity and dignity every individual deserves. As how the fiscal policy works in moderating and balancing the economy of a nation, or could be better understand as the government intervention of spending and providing funds to stimulate an economys growth and control equilibrium, here we could see the power, role and responsibility of the government as it is their obligation to ensure that the rules and guidelines of living are towards one interest, that is to ensure the peace and stability of the community. However, this does not save us, people of our nation for any obligation as part of this populace, as it is also our responsibility to contribute and strive for the attainment of a better ways and system. Provided that we, countrymens do what we are to, that is to strive further to develop our existing theories and knowledge towards the attainment of a united nation of progressive living.