Facundo or Civilization and Barbarism by Domingo R. Sarmiento Essay

Facundo or Civilization and Barbarism by Domingo R. Sarmiento "Facundo or, Civilization and Barbarism," by Domingo F. Sarmiento is a book which talks about the many topics of government and political situations in which Argentina was involved. Mary Mann is the translator of the book and the introduction is by Ilan Stavans. The time period the story takes place in is the nineteenth century, but the book was written in 1845. The geographic areas in which the events take place are Argentina, Chile, and most of the southernmost part of South America, such as Uruguay and Paraguay. To add to the setting, the book talks about the terrain, which includes the Andes Mountains, the plains, and the forest. The principal characters in the book are Domingo F. Sarmiento, Juan Facundo Quiroga, a caudillo, and Argentina's dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas. Sarmiento's main points for writing this book were to discredit the caudillos and Rosas. Also, to show the truth about how things were in Argentina. When taking a look at this book, a person must take a look at the society and politics of the area to see how these things go hand in hand in Argentina. First of all, Rosas was the presidential dictator at the time and had the reputation of a tyrant. The Inhabitants of the land where mostly Spanish, Indian natives. Most of Argentina’s land was filled with deserted areas due to the low population, and the fact that not many people lived in Argentina's vast mountains and plain areas. This vast land was so large, that most governments could not control it, and criminals could basically do, as they wanted. Most of these criminals, gauchos, barbarians, or call them what you will overran these plains and mountains. It was the behavio... ...n good. Just like that of Facundo, when he took over Argentina and implemented his own governing and caused chaos. Both of these gauchos show you that they just strive to do what they want for themselves to make them happy and not the people of nation. The final comparisons is how one can see the liberal ideas of Sarmiento fighting against the more conservative ideas of the gaucho which were going against the civilization in Argentina. For example, Sarmiento wants to end the dictatorship and caudilloism, for these two held down the people’s individual rights and caused obstacles to the advance of civilization. The leaders in the dictatorship and caudilloism try to retain their own ideas and force them on everyone, not allowing for freedom of ideas or rights. In the end Sarmiento wins over the gauchos in Argentina and causes an advance in Argentina’s civilization.