The presence of political dynasties in the Philippine government has garnered much attention, especially in the aftermath of the recently concluded midterm elections. The reported increase in the number of seated public officials from political dynasties has fueled a heated debate on the matter.
However, the prevalence of these political families is not unique to the Philippines. Throughout history, other countries have also witnessed people from the same lineage occupying government posts, from our Asian neighbors, Singapore and China, to the United States of America and the nations of Western Europe.
Diverse Perceptions
Different nations have various ways of perceiving the existence of dynasties in the political arena. In the words of Benito Lim, a professor from the Chinese Studies Program in the Ateneo, the Chinese look at this as “part of tradition.” He added that this is nothing new to the Chinese as several dynasties have ruled their nation.
On the other hand, dynasties in the United States like the Kennedys, Bushes and Clintons “are celebrated,” according to Department of Economics instructor Dr. Victor Venida. “People notice them precisely because they are a minority compared to the number of political positions throughout the United States of America,” he explained.
It is often harder to form a political dynasty in the United States; American political candidates are not inhibited by factors such as a lack of financial capital and public recognition that often deters Philippine aspirants.
Similarly, dynasties in Singapore are also seen in a positive light. Miguel Hilario, a Filipino student studying in Singapore American School, said, “As a Filipino, it was weird to think that the words ‘political dynasty’ would ever have positive connotations. However, in Singapore, it is clear that they have benefited from [former Prime Minister] Lee Kuan Yew’s constant leadership. His son [current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong] has been an effective leader as well.”
Under their leadership, Singapore has become one of Asia’s strongest economies, rapidly improving their constituents’ standard of living.
In the past, dynasties in Western Europe also served a distinct function. Mentioning countries like the United Kingdom, Germany and France, Venida said, “This might be an oversimplification but, historically… [the political families’] basis for legitimacy was the fact that in their absence, there was so much warfare.” The beginning of the inheritance of power began when the question of how authority should be passed was raised.
An “indirect political tradition”
In contrast to other nations, political dynasties have become “an indirect political tradition” in the Philippines, Lim said. He discussed how the culture of families governing over certain provinces dates back even to the days of Spanish and American rule.
By the time the Philippines was independent, the idea of political families was already in place. “When we [already had] political independence, the political dynasties were already well established,” Lim said.
In addition to this, current socio-economic factors have also led to the prominence of political families. “[In the Philippines,] since you don’t have a large middle class and the economy is not yet developed, of course family dynasties are still there,” said Venida. There is still a large gap between the rich and the poor, forcing well-meaning aspirants with little financial resources to compete with well-oiled political machines.
When asked what he thinks about current political figures with dynastic roots, Lim said, “If you listen to their campaign speeches, they’re proud of their heritage.” He cites Senator-elect Bam Aquino and President Benigno Aquino III as examples. The two Aquinos are proud of their lineage and are often pointing out that they will “continue the great tradition [their family] brought to governance,” according to Lim.
Slim chance of disappearance
Lim laments that with a large number of legislators belonging to political dynasties, it is highly improbable that a bill will be passed to “exterminate their presence in public offices.”
Moreover, Venida argued that the Philippines’ intellectual elite oppose political dynasties but “many here do not have an idea of what an alternative idea is. They just don’t like the idea of dynasties.”
“They accept the mantra to say that, ‘I am against political dynasty even if I come from political families,’ so it is just a popular statement. It is like a campaign line like, ‘I’m for the poor,’ ‘I am going to create jobs,’ ‘I am for justice,’ … We heard all of those since we’ve had elections in the Philippines,” Lim concluded.
Thus, the cycle of electing people from dynasties continues. This was seen in the recently concluded midterm elections, as many of the victors come from families that can be considered political dynasties.
As long as the legislation empowering the 1987 Constitution’s regulation against political dynasties is neglected, it appears that the issue of political dynasties will persist.
