Simón Rodríguez and the sentimental roots of social republicanism

Abstract

In this article, I claim that Simón Rodríguez, a 19th‐century Venezuelan thinker, used and reconfigured Jean‐Jacques Rousseau's understanding of amour‐propre to construct a new political foundation for Latin America. He sought to channel it and other sentiments toward productive ends with a social education. In doing so, Rodríguez departs from Rousseau while still addressing the latter's political concerns regarding the benefits of egalitarian republicanism and the pitfalls of civilizational progress. Instead of accepting political models from antiquity, Rodríguez conceives of an egalitarian social republic uniting the rich and poor, White and people of color. While skeptical of European civilization built on commerce, he sees the possibility of a social civilization reconciling the interests of all in society. This comparative study of Rodríguez provides a necessary addition to the history of political philosophy while offering insights into a mode of thinking still informing contemporary politics in Latin America.