曾經名列亞洲第一個民主共和國的菲律賓，由於一直被外界視為是美國在亞太區域的馬前卒，因此相關學者似乎都認為菲國的獨立是美國恩賜的結果。惟本文認為蕞爾小國的最佳生存法則，莫過於「夾縫求生」；準此而言，歷經過三個外來強權（西班牙、美國和日本）宰制的菲律賓共和國，之所以能透過和平手段進而取得獨立的案例，似乎是當前世界各國獨立運動中少有的特例。本文嘗試從政治暴力的論點，逐一探討菲律賓歷來的獨立運動歷程（從武力對抗、消極抵制到積極合作等行動），期盼藉由政治學理的剖析及對歷史事件的爬梳，試圖論證菲律賓的領導人是如何利用國際環境態勢和殖民母國內部的利益衝突，成功建構菲律賓民族國家的過程。

As the first democracy republic state in Asia, the Republic of the Philippines has always been regarded as the pawn of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region. Related scholars seem to think that the independence of the Philippines is the result of American gifts. However, this paper argues that the best rule of survival for little country was the ＂Running with Scissors.＂ Therefore, it seems that the Republic of the Philippines achieving independence in a peaceful approach is a rare case in the current independence movement. The author reviews the Philippines independence movement history (from military confrontation, passive resistance, to active cooperation). By political theoretical argument and historical event, the author would like to demonstrate how the political leaders of the Philippines make use of the conflict of interest and international environment in the colonial mother country to establish the Philippine nation-state.