Classical Republicanism in Hispanic Thought: A Frustrated Tradition

Abstract

This paper studies the reception of classical republicanism in Spain and Latin America, a reception which was superficial and incomplete in both places. In Spain, it is posible to find some traces of this philosophical-political tradition, especially in the Revolt of the Comuneros, who defended an ideology which contained some elements of republican doctrine and that even put into practice some of their most outstanding principles, although no important doctrinal work arose. In Latin America, on the other hand, all the nations, after their independence, faced the objective of organizing their societies and governments, which led them to search for the republican tradition both classical and renacentist sources, as well as in the modern sources of the liberal tradition. In any case, the classical republican arguments scarcely had real influence in spite of being defended by such figures as Bolivar, amongst others.