Compromise with Colonialism

    The successful suppression of the various revolutionary outbreaks or disturbances following the formal end of the Filipino- American War was enough reason for the Filipino elite to pursue the alternative of peaceful struggle. This prospect became quite clear when the American colonial authorities repeatedly offered opportunities for Filipino cooperation and participation in the colonial government. In fact, the encouragement from the colonial officials was irresistible to the Filipino elite, especially the ilustrados, whose role in the 19th century revolutionary movement throughout the archipelago, had been marked by readiness to all to extend cooperation, first, to Spanish rule, and, now, to the American colonial venture. The extent and nature of Filipino involvement in the pursuit of American colonialism can be categorized under several leadings.