Jose Rizal as a Reformist

Jose Rizal, our national hero, was one of the Filipinos who asked for reforms. These reforms will grant the ultimate dream of the reformists; assimilation. Filipinos will be given the rights that they deserve. Rizal choose to seek for reforms than to start a revolution because he knew that Philippines was not yet ready to stand on its own (during his time). Rizal used his liberal ideas in asking for reforms. Rizal joined the Circulo Hipo Filipino when he was still in Europe. This organization did not achieve its goal because the members have different interests.
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo served as Rizal’s means for asking reforms. He used these novels to portray what was happening in the Philippines during the Spanish Colonization. His goal was to awaken the Filipinos and the Spaniards(Spain) with what is happening in the Philippines and he thought that through these novels the Filipinos and the Spaniards would believe that assimilation is the just action for the Filipinos. The Filipinos who were studying in Europe during those times use this movement to ask for reforms to the Spanish Government. They organized the Propaganda Movement to serve as a way of getting those reforms.
Jose Rizal was an outstanding Propagandist of the Propaganda Movement. Rizal did not support the revolution for he believed that this will not make the Philippines a better country. The Philippine Revolution freed the Filipinos from the hands of the Spaniards. Although Rizal did not actually support it he had contributed much to this revolution. His works and writings were the corner stone of the revolution and he was indeed an inspiration for the Katipuneros during those times. Rizal’s life was devoted to his country (Philippines). His works and writings were evidence for his noble act as a reformist.