The evolution of the concept of nationalism in Ecuador, a historical perspective
The national soul was not born in Ecuador of 1830 but has its origins much earlier, this concept entails a long process. Nations are historical creations of states in an era of expansion of capitalism. A hypothesis on the social and cultural effort to find meaning to structural constructions should be raised, since, they were constituted by different people, of languages and cultures outside the original ones, as was in the case of the Spanish conquest and from there in there inahead as the topic raised has been developed until this date. In such a way we can know what is the meaning that is currently configured with respect to our Ecuadorian nationality and as it had been configured before, sentimentality, social class, race and other determining factors.
One of the most striking nationalism scholars of the time mentioned that;To get to understand how administrative units were conceived as homeland. That is, nationalism not only in America but throughout the world. (Anderson, 1993). As in this essay, the state origin will be discussed. Based on colonial matrices based on fundamental axes such as: religion and miscegenation (Ospina, 1996), as well as the role of indigenism. They consider as the first, ideas. Nationalism is agreed by diversity that in the long run represents parts of pieces that are positioned in an ideology.
It is important to mention two authors in which the present brief will be based, since it will allow to give a more general vision of where the arguments of this research will be directed, in order to find the historical journey of our country. The first, the historian of Ecuador Juan Valdano, writer of the book ‘Identity and forms of the Ecuadorian’ and Central Bank of Ecuador with the book;‘National Culture Theory’.
Historically in our country, the image of Atahualpa, its stories, its courage, its greatness, its paternalism and its built works, configure an image that has been part of national mythology for decades, for the Indians this was the beginning of its rootsWith the earth, the same one that was taken from his hands in 1532, where this leader is brutally killed, from there, the establishment of religion, the prohibition of polytheism. It generated instability, since there was no awareness of what was happening, or where it belonged since his house was being usurped. At this time the concept did not even exist.
Julio Moreno mentions peculiarly;The concept of spiritual power, organization and church as dominant after the Spanish conquest. Religious, moral, aesthetic, political and government manifestations give way to the interpretation of a medieval Spain (p. 127, 1936). Opening thread for the subsequent events of the conquest, the imposition of a new regime, caused the confusion, if they were no longer Indians owners of their land, now they would be the indoctrinated ones, forced to do or not do, as well as forget the sun and thePacha Mama as his own gods and incorporates in his ideology a unique and omnipotent God.
Catholic religion together with colonial art. In this construction for Julio Tobar Donoso represents;‘The forge of nationality, which offers symbols of devotion, reasons for communion, heroes and gestures of thought and martyrdom’ (p. 114, 1953). Baroque art, was imposed based on Christianity and the monarchy in order to persuade the religious idea in a civic ideal. From the seventeenth century this colonial consolidation takes strength, especially in cities.
Such an influence in his time was overwhelming and undeniable since there was a certain obligation to benefit from this idea, making nationality seem like a cult of a tax imposed, therefore, this factor affected the most disadvantaged people according to laws, women were leftOn the side in his opinion, due to the divine mandate, one in charge of the men who remained in the power and religious mandate, purely the woman was positioned in home tasks,.
The cities were audience shows of the city, thus being the show, in this way they were easier to influence society with the civic ideal, hence the first outbreak of identity in the country since they were already addressed to thinkIn a single way, restricting freedom, starting from this, the second axis to be addressed in national construction is miscegenation.
The Indian, the white and the mestizo, were the predominant races after the conquest, as well as the latter is the mixture of them giving way to a new social class the Creole. But the first mentioned based its concept on autoctonia, the white felt superior and denoted in the difference in existing social classes, had access to positions that others in the political sphere, the Indian was considered inferior and not deserving of any privilege. Inequality is an important factor in the 18.
self-determination has been built as one of the bases of ‘Ecuadorian identity’, a change of a past has occurred, towards a present and a future that is estimated this consisting of precepts that were important during this journey to the search for national meaning, since this is based on how I recognize myself personally, which is what I agree with being, being all of Ecuadorian nationality and living in the same territory represents emotion and here the precept of belonging, which only took strengthIn the mestizos.
The indigenous people on the other hand were no sense of belonging since these were treated with detachment and inequality with other people, the Church argued that these beings possessed soul, and therefore should not be treated as the Afro -descendants, of course, despitegive them a certain degree of distinction so as not to be mistreated, part of something was not recognized.
It is a fairly extensive fight that has been lived to break these social paradigms that occur and today give way to the national pluralism that exists. The officialization of the mestizo nation as a public identity was reinforced by the work of the House of Ecuadorian Culture, created in 1944. For this, the State decides to develop an identity of belonging, which reconstructs an Ecuadorian narrative, therefore, created such a figure on nationalism The entire mestizo community must be protected by this entity, developing such identity. After this event the incorporation of various identities opens the way to infer a constant evolution.
In 1972 when the Ecuadorian dictatorship appears, a political discourse mentions Silva;Based on the idea of miscegenation, taught by General Rodríguez Lara in which he recognizes the indigenous ancestors said: There are no more problems in relation to the natives, we all become white when we accept the goals of national culture ». (p. 20, 1992). Giving us to interpret the gradual acceptance that mestizos have in society, at that time miscegenation was no longer a phenomenon of strict inferiority over others, but its importance was being recognized in being jointly part of the same territory,Despite taking an identity oriented to bleaching, which was later criticized by indigenism.
Indigenism was a factor of utmost importance in the creation of the identity of America, therefore, of Ecuador, it has as a concept of having an anthropological reflection of all the cultures that were discovered after political liberalism, seeking to obtain an identity with autonomyexcluding the idea of whitening that miscegenation, oriented to an intrinsic reflection with meaning. He tried to generate acceptance for Indian people, did not seek to file the idea of a nation as a bleaching but as an acceptance to the condition.
According to Radcliffe, Westwood mention: indigenous organizations for 1978, promote radical criticism of traditional indigenism since, instead of promoting an integration process, they reaffirmed the autonomy and validity of any indigenous culture and the importance of respect for differences. (p. 113, 1999). Based on this, it is recognized that for the nineteenth century, a criticism of traditional pesto that did not integrate other cultures occurred, it can be said that they represented a certain range of exclusion towards other cultures, all this globally.
Analyzing such in our country, Ibarra mentions;Ecuador officially recognizes the diversity of its population, but, at the same time, it avoids facing the problem of land distribution, a fundamental element for the indigenous claim movement. It is exactly this double speech that will be stigmatized by neo -Indigenists. (Page 47, 1992). In addition to a missing integration factor, the distribution of the land is added to merits that cause the indigenous organization to reconsider its objectives.
As explained by the fundamental axes on which the national conception is based, it is added that the idea of nationalism has been changing as time passes. We have a long and influential story, inferred by the lack of public opinion as Valdano mentions;There is no clear and organic system among us, ideas, projects. There is chaotic heterogeneity in the purposes and national aspirations (p. 457, 2005). Giving the author a selfish perspective in the construction of nationalism, thus there is no plurality of yearnings that are strong enough to follow a guideline itself, religion imposed their thinking, then the natives tried to impose their own.
Literature is an important factor to mention, since, within the colonial era, this represents means to reach the lawyer, by writings the situation of the Indian, that of the slaves, the woman, the Spanish. A critique of the system began and above all to the influence of religion little by little, becoming a tool of medium populist. Gramsci mentions;New literature is necessarily historical, political, popular;You must tend to elaborate what already exists, giving importance to penetrating the roots as ‘humus of popular culture’, so as is, with its tastes, trends (p. 478. 1986).
The division of the country generates for Valdano;The inconsistency of national culture, if the forces of this country are divided, if a common spirit is absent, there cannot be a national, balanced, expansive, realistic and democratic culture (page. 459. 1986). Actually, we fall into an empty, where the inferiority causes reproach and still seeks to achieve the precepts to be like abroad. Maybe there is feeling, but not a national construction with everything that it implies.
From a legal conception in the 2008 Constitution of Ecuador he mentions;Nationality means that legal political link that people have with the State, typified in article 6 of the upper hierarchical norm. If we see it from a cultural perspective it means
The meaning of nationalism is flatly dissuaded, by ideological factors including politicians, economic and above all religious, who have had a series of changes, throughout history. What should be rescued from the arguments presented is their essence, since all meanings of nationalism are based on, is the feeling of knowing that we are within a certain social group that offers us to apogee, stability and certain guarantees, butIn reality, the social struggle, the ignorance of rights, the impositions of others, on the most vulnerable, all this configures belonging should be.
Which leads me to talk about nationalism as a sentimental social construction, since the human being by origin is a sensitive and complex being, which emotionally affects many factors, such as their social, subsidiary context, etc. Inhabiting in the same territory is what leads him to feel affection as such, not necessarily for being born, lived and state there always, but is the place where he is and offers fidelity, I say I belong tothis country and I want to fight because it is the best.
According to our current context, Ecuador is recognized as a plurinational country, several groups feel belonging to their community, the most central populations have a more general nationality and are not recognized by others, despite this, it must be noted, which, which, which, which, which, which, which, which, which, which, which, whichBy living in a country with such culture and identity built by years of history, struggle and pain, it makes us the richest people in diversity, and that as such is already part of us, an ancestral people with sentimentality.
The given historical analysis, the evolution, transcendence explains that we were not a nation before this concept was incorporated, little by little to what we now have, it turns out that in the long run the concept remains utopian since today does notYou can finish accepting everything, and we fall into a double speech of what we believe we are and what we accept.
To end despite the deterrence of what nationalism is for some, in Ecuador the closest thing is the feeling of belonging, pride of being where you are. The historical struggle that has taken has little strength, but the participation of the excluded which did not mean, but now they know that this is where they belong. As was the case of indigenous people who have had a long path and have even been criticized between them, which should not be so.
Coexistence good living can be achieved in a margin of respect, tolerance above all acceptance. We are rich in culture and that is what should gratify all of us as Ecuadorians, because it is part of our history, the struggle past despite the influence and past indoctrination. Now in the 21st century, the time is new and freedom is already a fact to feel part of the same place is what makes us national, but such a feeling already strengthens in what we decide to believe.
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