Gabriel Garcia Moreno and Conservative State Formation in the Andes

This book explores the life and times of Ecuador_s most controversial politician within the broader context of the new political history, addressing five major themes of nineteenth-century Latin American history: The creation of political networks, The divisiveness of regionalism, The bitterness of the liberal-conservative ideological divide, The complicating problem of caudillismo, and The quest for progress and modernization. Two myths traditionally associated with Garciacute;a Moreno_s rule are debunked. The first is that he created a theocracy in Ecuador. Instead, The book argues that he negotiated a concordat with the Papacy giving the national government control over the church_s secular responsibilities, and subordinated the clergy, many of whom were highly critical of Garciacute;a Moreno, To the conservative state. A second, frequently repeated generalization is that he created a conservative dictatorship out of touch with the liberal age in which he lived. Instead, The book argues that moderates held sway during the first nine years of Garciacute;a Moreno_s period of influence, and only during his final term did he achieve the type of conservative state he thought necessary to advance his progressive nation-building agenda. In sum, this book enriches our understanding of many of the notions of state formation by suggesting that conservatives like Garciacute;a Moreno envisioned a program of material progress and promoting national unity under a very different formula from that of nineteenth-century liberals.