Subject Area
History; Politics
Description
This thesis examines how Simón Bolívar’s political thought on race, republicanism, and governance evolved during the Spanish American wars of independence. Early in his revolutionary career, Bolívar drew heavily from Enlightenment ideals, particularly those of Rousseau and Montesquieu, envisioning a future republic grounded in liberty, unity, and the rule of law. However, Bolívar’s initial writings reveal that he paid relatively little attention to the racial divisions that deeply fractured colonial society. Thus, his appeals for independence primarily focused on political subjugation and economic exploitation, reflecting both his Creole background and the broader colonial system’s blind spots.
Yet, as Bolívar faced the brutal realities of war, including uprisings led by marginalized groups and the difficulty of sustaining a revolutionary movement, his thinking shifted. He increasingly recognized that any hope of success required forging coalitions across racial lines. Therefore, Bolívar began to promote the idea of a new American identity that transcended race, known as Americanos. However, his efforts to dismantle racial hierarchies were cautious and often tied to military necessity. For instance, his decrees freeing enslaved people were conditional upon loyalty and service to the patriot cause. By the time he drafted the 1826 Constitution of Bolivia, Bolívar’s vision for governance emphasized strong, centralized authority as a safeguard against the factionalism he believed threatened fragile new republics.
As such, this thesis will contend with the Liberator’s ideals and his pragmatism. Bolívar was neither a pure idealist nor a mere opportunist; he was a revolutionary who wrestled with the realities of building a nation out of fractured societies. Therefore, his political legacy is not a straightforward story of triumph or failure, but an honest depiction of the enormous difficulty of translating the promises of liberty and equality into lasting political structures. Thus, Bolívar’s struggle is a reminder that revolution is not only about the dreams of freedom but also about confronting the hard compromises needed to make those dreams endure.
Publisher
Providence College
Academic Year
2024-2025
Date
Spring 2024
Type
Thesis
Format
Text
Language
English
Start Date
3-22-2025 2:45 PM
