The Philippines is a classic example of a system with a hierarchical governance framework (one that evolved in civilisations that are our society’s antithesis) shoved down its throat.

I’m actually not a great fan of structure and hierarchy because of their tendencies to go the way of elitism. I prefer what some call as “adhocracy” which probably fits well the original conception of FilipinoVoices. What I’m learning about adhocracy is that it is more reflexive and more democratic. Why don’t we look at this concept too and see if we could fuse it with traditionalism (bureaucracy)?

UP n,

Not all of Rostovian model are attractive to me. For one thing, I don’t subscribe to the assumption in the model that the idealized vision of the Western Nations is normative. In fact, I believe there is no single route to modernity (industrialization). There are even certain theories today entertaining the possibility of reaching the stage of “informatization” (or post-modernization) without going through modernization (Didn’t GMA float this idea before when she was earnestly promoting call centers and BPOs?). Indeed, this one is a bit romantic to me. But it’s too hard to ignore for instance the list of reality checks I enumerated above.

What I like most about the development model of Rostow is the idea of the Big Push, led by a group of “purposeful elites” who have experienced a “wider-based revolution in outlook” (a Pauline conversion in secular sense, as I put it rather dramatically) without a Leninist or Maoist revolution. (Note: I don’t consider this contradictory to my “allergy” to elitism since I also consider it as ad hoc.)

1. Ayn Rand style individualism
2. Jesuit school inspired elitism
3. Benign0 style Filipino-bashing

I also disagree with you on matters of methodology as your analyses are based on 30000ft generalizations and/or stereotypes. this leads to to commit Attribution errors. I also agree with one of the commenters over at Manolo’s who says that, in bashing Filipinos, you’re guilty of the Ecological Fallacy.

Unfortunately I think discussion/chatter is more fun than the kind of thinking required to come up with structure, which is why that foray wasn’t too successful or popular.