Latin american social thought in three foundational moments of its history: Bolívar, Mariátegui and decolonial theorists

Abstract

In the formation of Latin America, culture, politics, economy, and society were shaped according to European standards as hegemonic values, which destroyed, modified, and violated the ancient traditions of indigenous peoples. Nevertheless, there have always been political ruptures and shifts in the ways of interpreting local reality, offering alternatives and political projects for the structural transformation of society. In this article, we present three moments of Latin American social thought that were counter-hegemonic and foundational for future lines of political action and interpretation of reality, with a focus on overcoming primarily colonial status and heritage. We analyze the pioneering propositions of Simón Bolívar and his utopias of liberation, delve into the critical deepening of José Carlos Mariátegui's thought, based on an unorthodox reading of Marxism, and conclude with the political and epistemic proposal of decolonial thinkers from the Modernity/Coloniality group. We will observe that, although they were very different authors, the theoretical and political challenges they posed focused on overcoming the colonial legacy in politics, knowledge, and the very existence of being.