Liberalism has never really flourished?

This is a question that I am sure every Latin american makes themselves, and not only us but the rest of the world. Liberalism has been these Utopian idea, something we strive to archive, however it is never really archived. Caudillos played an incredible role in bringing these idea of liberalism to Latin america, as they were seen as the saviors, leaders who would’ protect their nations against any enemies, against those who are willing to intervene. In Latin america, especially after independence there was a big instability in the forms of government that these leaders were looked upon by the people because they did take a concrete and fast action, they fought the enemy. It is interesting to see these emerging figures in Latin american societies, people who were rural elites, famous and renamed. This brings up the distinction of rural and urban that was left during those times in which the urban seem to side more with secularist ideals and central governments, where as the rural were more religious traditional believed in collectivism and populism, something that with time became more and more popular in Latin american societies.

The story written by Sarmiento, illustrating the image of this Caudillo “Manuel de Rosas” gives us a lot of insight on how we can imagine things were, however it can confuse us at the same time, because it is hard to make a distinction between what is fiction or reality in this story. The story has a tone of irony, it shows how Caudillos just decided to do their own thing challenging the systems put in place in those times. For example the action of Manuel, of giving out all the meat during the times on Lenten, is a was of mocking the catholic institutions of the time, as well as a tool for him to show himself to the the general public, his capital and determination.