Throughout history there have been several leaders who used their cunning and sly intelligence to trick the general population into following them and their beliefs. Eventually, these leaders had so much support, they could no longer be called leaders, but absolute and dictatorial rulers. However, during the period of Enlightenment and of the French
Revolution, non-maleficent ideas, created by Locke,
Montesquieu, Voltaire, and other Enlightenment
Philosophes, were spread throughout the European population. They stated the opposition to absolute monarchies as well as a new main focus on people’s innate rights and freedoms. Many leaders after this period of
Enlightenment preached its ideas, while others simply used them to gain power. Simon Bolivar might have preached opinions that mainly reflected the ideas of the French
Revolution. However, his actions contradicted these opinions, and revealed that his true intentions were selfish and illiberal.
In several documents and speeches, Bolivar stated that he was very fond of freedom, liberty and equality. Clearly, it would seem that he desired democracy. This can be seen in his "Jamaican Letter", where he states "More than anyone I desire to see America fashioned into the greatest nation in the world, greatest not so much by virtue of her area and wealth as by her freedom and glory." However, he adds to this "love of freedom" in saying that it is "inconceivable" to set up such a government, simply because there is not enough political knowledge for a system such as that to run.
Further, Bolivar says that he agrees with the ideas of
Montesquieu, who played a very important role during the
Enlightenment period, and states that he is against absolutism. In looking at the beliefs Bolivar spoke of, one could almost come to the conclusion that he directly lectured the ideas fought for in the French Revolution; opposition to absolute monarchies, natural rights and freedoms, ideas of Montesquieu, and ruling for the people’s best interest.
Interestingly, however, Bolivar never actually put any of his
"glorious ideas" into action. Instead of setting up a democracy, ideas of which he praised, he arranged a system in which his total control was made known. He declared himself president until he died, created a weak legislative body with almost no power, and limited the right to vote to the Creoles, who were American-born
Spaniards. Not only did this contradict his great "Love of freedom" that he originally spoke of, but also his hate of monarchy, a system of government not too far off from the
"paternal constitution" he himself created. Furthermore, this government system doesn’t reflect ideals fought for in the
French Revolution, which he once agreed with. In a document written by Bolivar, he states that he fears Black
According to his letter, the countries would encounter political challenges, as in not having a government at all. Furthermore, as Bolivar outlines in his letter, he was fearful of the political stability in the newly freed countries. Bolivar’s hesitance stemmed for many reasons one of them being the potential that war may have which may cause the country’s political system to be divided by ethnicity, of which he felt would lead to an unsuccessful government. Bolivar encouraged the citizen of countries that he liberated in his letter to “not adopt the best system, but the one most likely to succeed” (). Therefore, Bolivar felt that although theoretically some systems were more morally correct and should be striven for, such system may not have been probable nor efficient at the time and thus the citizen should accept a system that is successful as long as they are free of foreign rule and are finally member of an local autonomous
Bolívar: American Liberator by Marie Arana is about Simón Bolívar’s life and his struggle against the Spanish Empire. Bolivar, also known as the “George Washington of South Americ,,” was born in Venezuela into one of the wealthiest families, but was orphaned at a young age. He was inspired by the idea of a free America and he dedicated his life to fighting for independence of South America from Spanish control. He helped lead and organize the independence movement of Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador, Bolivia, Columbia, and Peru. The novel follows his journey and his endeavors while fighting for freedom for the Spanish countries. I enjoyed the book and it made me feel empowered realizing how much drive was behind those fighting for their freedom from
... gain to Spain. He also viewed the Americans that were under the Spanish rule as serfs. Serfs are classified as a member of the lowest feudal class with a status so low that it makes it harder to gain freedom. Bolivar does not agree with absolutism which he feels is another form of slavery. His idea of governance for Latin America is one that is “organized as a great republic”, but he sees this as impossible. Bolivar expresses that it would be nice to have “an august assembly of representatives of republics, kingdoms, and empires to deliberate upon high interest of peace and war with the nations of the other three-quarters of the globe. This type of organization may come to pass in some happier period of our regeneration” (413).
On June 25, 1821, Simon Bolivar wrote to the General Congress of Colombia stating, “may the Sovereign Congress accept, in the name of the brave men whom I have the honor of commanding, the homage of an army tried and true, the greatest and finest ever to bear arms on any battlefield in Colombia…Your Excellency’s most humbler servant.” By 1821, Gran Colombia had proclaimed its independence from Spain, with Simon Bolivar (1783-1830), a Venezuelan statesmen and military leader, becoming its first president. The region, previously known as New Granada, had decided to forever sever ties with the Spanish Empire after a series of battles beginning in 1810. Yet, formal political liberty and independence, although common in the minds
...d goal was a government that was elected and not one that had absolute rule. He makes this evident by saying, " An whole Government of our own Choice, managed by Persons whom We love, revere, and can confide in, has charms in it for which Men will fight" (102). Similarly, Thomas Paine also believes in the idea of a lovable government, " Let the assemblies be annual, with a President only. The representation more equal" (96).
The Enlightenment was a major turning point in history. Multiple ideas that were established during the Enlightenment were eventually utilized in many government systems. Although some people known as “Enlightened Despots” did not accept the ideas developed by people such as John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Ultimately, the Enlightenment ideas showed that they were more powerful and were more significant than the power of the army.
Benito Juárez was born to an indigenous family in San Pablo Guelatao, Oaxaca, in 1806; during most of his childhood, he only spoke Zapotec. In the city of Oaxaca, he lived with his sister who was a servant at the house of Don Antonio Maza. He studied at the Santa Cruz Seminary, the only secondary school in Oaxaca.
When the King of England began to infringe on the colonists’ liberties, leaders inspired by the enlightenment grouped together to defend the rights of the American colonies. As Thomas Jefferson writes in the Declaration of Independence, “History of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these States” (Jefferson 778). The citizens of France, inspired by the enlightenment, desired a government run by the people. Marquis de Lafayette wrote, “Men are born and remain free and equal in rights; social distinctions may be based only upon general usefulness” (de Lafayette 783).
Voltaire had a negative view on government as he wrote in Candide: "let us work without arguing, that is the only way to make life endurable." Voltaire accepted the Royalists and rejected the parliamentary interpretation of the French constitution, but he was willing to concede that the legal position was not clear. (Gay 111) Voltaire said," the very word parliament makes up part of it's power and parliament is nothing under a vigorous government, it is every thing under a feeble king. All the more reason for kings to be feeble with their rebellious magistrates. (Gay 111) Supreme authority which may be abused, is dangerous, but a divided authority is even more so. Voltaire admitted that his own gratitude was dimmed by Louis XIV's numberless failures, and the king's achievements fell short of what he might have done. (Gay 113) Measured against Louis's opportunities, his accomplishments became less impressive. Voltaire put criticism in the mouth of a Roman citizen addressing his county's officials."o you, who take pride in being good, why do you not do all the good you can do?" Voltaire expresses in chapter twenty one in Candide, his anti-war campaign which ultimately translates to anti government. In the 1760's Voltaire developed the philosophy that repression is necessary, but it must be rational. Voltaire's land of Eldarado,in Candide, has no prisons but, it is a utopia. The only justification for repression is political rather t...
Cesar Chavez was a civil rights leader who fought for farm workers to be respected and to not be treated like unimportant human beings (Fighting for.) Cesar Chavez did achieve his goal for farm workers after he started his movement. The goal was to be treated right. Cesar Chavez helped the farm workers through the UFW, the methods he used to fulfill his goals, and because of the many supporters he had,
However, rather than ideals, an event was the culprit of the revolutionary movement. The event of forceful removal of King Ferdinand VII by Napoleon Bonaparte, could be appointed as the vent that initiated the Spanish American revolutionary movement. “The reaction to Ferdinand’s overthrow in Spain and Spanish America was one of defiance and rebellion” (Langley, 166). Rebellion became an excuse to brake from a monarchy that was no longer supporting their colonies but rather exploiting them. As the revolution for liberty began, the Creoles understood they did not command a unified nation. Opinions about liberty and independence were really divided. Royalist remained loyal to the crown while patriots wanted independence from Spain. On the one side, “aversion to independence was instinctive response of a dominating landed aristocracy in a colonial export economy dependent on a slave labor force” (Langley, 167). The elite population, specially the slave owners, were frightened about the rebellion because they did not want to lose their slaves or their power. They were afraid about the consequences of independence. On the other side, oppression by part of the monarchies was greater and political problems were greater, hence
...time onward, the concept of the enlightened despot had currency, calling for rulers governing with the betterment of the people's lot in mind. The idea of a centralized, authority-wielding confederation government is not terribly foreign to the notion of an autocratic, authoritarian, but enlightened despot, after all. This is but one of the conflicting ideas ranged against Rousseau's rather pessimistically realist conclusion; others are certainly possible.
Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was born in a lower middle class family in the city of Medellin on December 1st, 1949. His brother, Roberto Escobar, always said he was caring and always wanted to support the family.(Banks) Escobar began his criminal career as a schoolboy by stealing tombstones from graveyards and selling them to smugglers from Panama. He eventually drifted into petty crime until he got hired to illegaly drive coca paste from the Andean Mountains to laboratories in Medellin. During this time, he was arrested once but had the charges dropped on a technicality.(Banks). Escobar began his empire when a drug lord named Fabio Restrepo was murdered, reportedly on Escobar's command. Escobar then stepped into Restrepo’s place and began
The Common Sense writings of Thomas Paine offered an exigent message of enlightenment to the colonist. It was one of self-examination, to reject hereditary monarchy, and the right to engage in a revolution for democracy; as evidenced in writing, “He will not put off the true character of a man and generously enlarge his views beyond the present day”. This was his first step of reasoning to express a global view of the state of affairs.
Two of the most prominent philosophers to elaborate on these concepts were John Locke and Thomas Hobbes, two post-civil war, English writers during the mid-1600s. Both Locke and Hobbes talked about how men act naturally and how that plays into politics and government. Locke believed in three key rights, life, liberty, and property, governing by popular consent, and the right of citizens to rebel against unjust rulers who didn’t protect their rights. Hobbes, on the other hand, saw humankind's natural state in a more negative light, believing that the only way to prevent chaos in society was to be governed by an absolute monarchy, or “social contract”. In the following century, France was facing its own political turmoil due to a negligent aristocracy. The French Enlightenment’s famous “philosophes” built on the English’s ideals, suiting them to their national issues. The satirical writings of Voltaire involving his emphasis on freedom of speech can be summed up by his quote “I do not agree with a word you say but will defend to the death your right to say it”. Montesquieu believed Britain’s government to be ideal, especially in respects to the separation of powers. Democracy wouldn’t work in society due to “private interests in public affairs,” according to Rousseau. Similarly, the Italian philosopher Beccaria, focused on justice and laws. Influential points he made included needing basic rights to make the justice system fair, and the responsibility of the people to follow the laws given by the government. These concepts were some of the results of hundreds of years of philosophy, and are closest to the ways government is