We explain what the generation of 37 was, how it originated and the ideas it defended. In addition, what are their characteristics and their representatives.
What was the generation of 37?
The generation of 37 was an Argentine intellectual movement that formed in the mid -nineteenth century in the context of the creation of the national state. The group was composed of writers, thinkers and politicians, and His thought was linked to romanticism and liberalism.
Its objective was to promote democratic ideals and the formation of a government that guaranteed the rights of citizens. It was the first Argentine intellectual movement that sought to build a national identity.
In 1837 a cultural association called Literary Hall was founded, which was located in the back room of a bookstore. There the thinkers of this intellectual movement gathered, discussed ideas and read their writings.
Among the most important members of the 37 generation were Esteban Echeverría, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, Juan María Gutiérrez, Juan Bautista Alberdi, Miguel Cané (father), Vicente Fidel López and Valentín Alsina. In addition, other figures such as Bartolomé Miter, José Mármol and Félix Frías were integrated into the movement.
However, Juan Manuel de Rosas closed the Literary Hall along with other political and cultural associations during his government. In view of that, part of the members joined the May Association, a group that conspired to overthrow Rosas and defend the establishment of a constitutional regime.
The ideals of the 37 generation constituted the basis on which the 1853 Constitution was drafted, which, with some modifications, is the current Constitution of the Argentine Republic.
See also: Generation of 98
Characteristics of the generation of 37
The main characteristics of the generation of 37 are:
- It was an Argentine intellectual movement that emerged during the nineteenth century and influenced the bourgeois culture of the time.
- It was composed of different thinkers, authors, artists and politicians, who defended the liberal ideals: individual freedom, division of powers and freedom of the press.
- They exposed their ideas through journalistic and literary publications, and got together to discuss literary halls.
- Among its main members were Juan Bautista Alberdi, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, Esteban Echeverría and Juan María Gutiérrez.
- They opposed the government of Juan Manuel de Rosas and for this reason some of their members had to live in exile.
Context of the generation of 37
After the declaration of independence, the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata lived a series of tensions. The provinces appointed their own rulers and organized autonomously. This led to armed conflicts that led to a civil war.
With the disintegration of the central government, the power of landowners, armies and militias increased. In that context, in Buenos Aires, Juan Manuel de Rosas was elected governor in 1829 and obtained a series of extraordinary faculties under the title of “Restorative of the Laws and Institutions of the Province of Buenos Aires.”
In this way, Rosas established a new political order in Buenos Aires based on its popularity between rural and urban masses and, in turn, in the alliance with the landowner and commercial elite Buenos Aires (that is, of the city of Buenos Aires). The economy during his government was prosperous and dedicated many resources for the well -being of popular classes, such as the construction of schools and churches in rural areas.
However, he also persecuted his opponents and established the mandatory use, among public employees, lawyers, doctors and merchants, of the currency punctured, a distinctive that was used in the clothes to identify the adherents to rosism. Then, he began to censor the press to control public opinion and to suppress political dissidents.
Romanticism
In Latin Americathe generation of 37 introduced the romantic ideas that later expanded through neighboring countries. Romanticism was a cultural movement that emerged in Germany and the United Kingdom at the end of the 18th century. In Europe, it worked as a reaction against the rationalism of the Enlightenment, since it highlighted the importance of feelings. In addition, he defended liberalism against enlightened despotism that at that time remained in power.
In literature, romanticism took shape in stories of customs, which described contemporary social groups or past times. Given the importance that this movement gave to the individual, multiple biographies and autobiographies were published.
The formation of the generation of 37
In 1830, Esteban Echeverría returned to Buenos Aires after spending five years in France, where he was in contact with works by romantic thinkers such as Friedrich Schiller and Lord Byron. At that time, romanticism influenced political ideas and promoted the creation of a social and political order based on the ideals of democracy, solidarity, fraternity and the rights of the people.
At that time, Echeverría brought together different thinkers who began to meet at Miguel Cané’s house (father) and then in the literary hall founded by Marcos Sastre, in the back room of his bookstore. Soon, the meetings were attended by figures such as Juan María Gutiérrez, Juan Bautista Alberdi and Vicente Fidel López, among others.
The movement spread its ideas and writings in a weekly newspaper called Fashion, which was published between 1837 and 1838. The issues were varied and covered from general culture issues to economic debates and political opinions. They were supporters of freedom, equality and progress.
These thinkers argued that The country should have a constitutional organization and that the confrontation between unitary and federals should be overcome. Although they did not have an open political position against Rosas, the basis of their ideals was contrary to the rosista tradition of hierarchy, order and religion.
The creation of the May Association
In 1938, the magazine Fashion She was censored and Marcos Sastre’s literary hall was closed by the Rosista government. In that context, the group had to go to hiding and formed the association of the young Argentine generation or May association. There, they wrote a manifesto called “symbolic words.”
The members of the May Association defended democracy as an ideal that guaranteed the rights of the people and as an institutional political order. They argued that the progress of the people would occur through culture, access to education and citizen participation.
The main figures of the 37 generation
Among the main figures of the 37 generation, they are:
- Esteban Echevarría (1805-1851). He was an Argentine writer and poet and one of the organizers of the Literary Hall. During his studies in France, he had contact with European romanticism, which influenced his later work. He was editor of Socialist dogma and leader of the May Association. Among his works are The slaughterhouse, the captive And a novel that is considered the first romantic story: Elvira or La Bride del Plata.
- Miguel Cané (1812-1863). He was a lawyer, politician and journalist. Recognized for his political activism against Rosas, he had to exile during his government. Then, he wrote for several Buenos Aires newspapers and founded El Diario Silver trade. His main writings were Esther, On the train and Sconner’s family. He was the father of Miguel Cané (son), another important Argentine politician and writer.
- Marcos Sastre (1809-1887). He was an Argentine writer and educator. He founded the Argentine bookstore and in his back room the Literary Hall. He had to escape the rosista persecution and lived in Entre Ríos, where he dedicated himself to education and school system.
- Juan María Gutiérrez (1809-1878). He was a historian, statesman, writer and poet. He wrote different types of texts, including novels, poetry, literary criticism, academic and scientific works. In addition to being one of the founders of the May Association, he participated in the Constituent Convention of 1853 that drafted the National Constitution, was Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1854 and 1856, and rector of the University of Buenos Aires.
- Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (1811-1888). He was one of the main figures of the generation of 37 for his literary work, his political influence and his work as an educator. He was president of Argentina between 1868 and 1874, and concentrated on strengthening the education of the Argentine population to consolidate the nation. Among his most important books are Facundo or Civilization and Barbarie and his autobiography Province memories.
- Juan Bautista Alberdi (1810-1884). He was an Argentine writer and politician. He joined the literary hall as a musician and writer. When Rosismo dissolved it, Alberdi founded the Lodge the young Argentina, but shortly after he had to exile in Uruguay. Subsequently, he was one of the editors of the Constitution of 1853. His written work deals mainly on law and history.
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References
- De Amézola, G. and Cowen, M. (2005). The generation of 37. in Argentine and Latin American History I. Rule.
- Katra, Wh (1996). The Argentine Generation of 1837. Echeverría, Alberdi, Sarmiento, Miter. Associated University Pressures.
- Rankin, Ma (2010). Alberdi, Juan Bautista; The Rosas Dictorship; Echeverría, Esteban; Sarmiento, Domingo F.; Rosas, Juan Manuel de. In Encyclopedia of Latin America, vol. III: Search for National Identity (1820s to 1900). Facts on File.
