The Image of a Dictator: Gabriel García Moreno
1965; Duke University Press; Volume: 45; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1215/00182168-45.1.1
ISSN1527-1900
Autores Tópico(s)Political Theory and Democracy
ResumoM /[OST OF THE literature about Caudillismo in Latin America places great stress upon the question of charisma-that is, the extent to which a leader 's spiritual qualities or sense of mission embodies the aspiration of his followers and thereby serves as a basis of popular support. The emphasis seems proper, since there can be no doubting the importance of any dictator's charismatic qualities. At the same time, little attention has been paid to the fact that popular conceptions of dictatorial legitimacy (and illegitimacy) have undergone a number of significant changes since the early 19th century. Since they reveal important shifts in the bases of power for authoritarian regimes, an understanding of these trends is fundamental to a thorough comprehension of charisma and caudillismo. In an attempt to trace some of these changes, the following essay will explore the Latin American of Ecuador's Gabriel Gareia Moreno as it has evolved from his own lifetime to the present. The methodology is simple. The major works about Gareia Moreno have been placed in their historical context, and then analyzed according to the way in which they justify or dismiss the legitimacy of the morenista dictatorship. Most of the writings are by Ecuadorans, although some other Latin American works have been included.' Through its emphasis on the background of each book, this technique provides some insight into the political mentality of the Ecuadoran intellegentsia2 as it has shifted with cultural circumstances. Thus by concentrating on the image of a single dictator this essay employs the tools of historiography to analyze the development of Dolitical attitudes in Ecuador over the last hundred years.3
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