Proceedings of the first Independence congress : held in the city of Manila, Philippine islands, February 22-26, 1930 / Published under the direction of Dean maximo M. Kalaw, executive secretary, University of the Philippines.

FIRST PLENARY SESSION

9

progressive government that has ever been given to a subject
people, and notwithstanding the intensive propaganda carried
out through the American and Philippine schools for the enhancement of American sovereignty in our country, we, as a
people, have insisted upon our right to lead the life of a free
and separate nation.
The history of the Philippines is only a repetition of what
has happened everywhere else. It is a reassertion of the ideal
of nationalism, of the right of every group of people to govern
itself, uncontrolled and unhampered by foreign influences. It
confirms beyond any doubt the truth that nationalism is irresistible and unquenchable.
The opposite of nationalism is imperialism. The history of
the world is replete with conflicts between these two forces.
Before the seventeenth century the tendency was towards the
building up of big empires. There was even an effort to
effect a world unity through the principles of Christianity.
However, the Reformation came which caused a fresh fragmentation into national states. The 17th and 18th centuries
saw a steady development of nationalism and a continuous
intensification of the division of Europe into nations. With
the first French revolution and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte
came a transitory return to the empire of Charlemagne. Following Napoleon's overthrow, the development of nationalism
was resumed. The 19th century may properly be considered
as the century of nationalism. And, as if to complete the
work, the world war came which, despite its horrors and devastating effects, made nationalism more potent than ever. The
war spread rapidly and became a world conflagration because
the independence of small states, such as Servia and Belgium,
was threatened. Wilson, who may justly be called the Champion of Nationalism, in his messages and speeches on the war,
emphasized the right of every nation to decide its own destiny
and flung in the face of imperialists his policy of freeing sub,
ject nationalities from the yoke of the foreigner. So it was
through him that territories which had previously lost their
independence and became integral parts of some of the belligerent countries were given back their lost freedom and rec