Facundo

Facundo (subtitled Civilization and Barbarism) is a book written by Argentine Domingo Sarmiento in 1845. It was written partly in protest against the regime of Juan Manuel de Rosas, who ruled Argentina from 1835 to 1852.

In the book, the author explores the issue of civilization versus the cruder aspects of a caudillo culture of brutality and absolute power. Caudillo is a word denoting "a politico-military leader at the head of an authoritative power". Caudillos are seen, in the book, as the opposite of education, high culture, and civil stability. Caudillos introduce instability and chaos, which destroy societies through their blatant disregard for humanity and societal progress. In the book, Sarmiento portrays the rise of Juan Facundo Quiroga, an archetypical Argentine caudillo, his controversial rule, and his downfall. Civilization is represented by the metropolitan society of Buenos Aires.

In the book, Juan Facundo is portrayed as wild and untamed in Argentina, in opposition to true progress through the common enlightenment of society. The book implies that the only way to truly achieve progress and a better world is through the taming of such leaders and a common education allowing the common man to philosophically recognize and oppose such exploitation.

Although most only connect the book with recent Argentinian history, some also apply to the wider social questions facing Latin America as a whole during the mid-19th century. As caudillos took control and set up authoritarian governments, in the book, questions of what is best for the progress of society were largely ignored by the ruling elite for the more immediate goal of exploiting the masses.

Facundo, when interpreted as a critique of both de Rosas and caudillos at large, introduces an opposition message that promoted an alternative that was more beneficial to society at large. This included education and honest officials who understood enlightenment ideas of European and Classical origin.

Sources

• Sarmiento, Domingo Faustino, 1811-1888. Facundo : civilization and barbarism, the first complete English translation, Berkeley : University of California Press, c2003. (ISBN 0-520-08159-5, paper ISBN 0-520-23980-6)
• Facundo in the original Spanish