In this thoroughly researched and well-documented study, Professor Rodríguez brings together several themes to show that a body of Spanish Americans had developed and adopted, during the epoch of independence, “a new vision of Spanish American community (pp. xi-xii). To counter the view that contemporary writers, as well as modern historians, viewed liberalism as alien to the Latin temperament and experience, Rodríguez sets out to prove that Spanish American liberalism was neither alien nor aberrant” (p. xi).
While many readers, including this reviewer, will not agree with Professor Rodríguez’ contention, he does make a convincing argument that a small group of Spanish Americanists—to be distinguished from Spanish Americans—were truly attuned to Spanish liberalism and to the idea of a constitutional commonwealth. Professor Rodríguez acknowledges that the Spanish Americanists were a minority, but correctly argues that they had influence far out of proportion to their numbers. The difficulty lies in selecting an elite fraternity of internationalists and liberals to prove that liberalism was not contradictory to the Latin American political ambiente in the first three decades of the nineteenth century. Perhaps the most worrisome thing about this book is the title. The implication is that the actions of a select group of men with supranational ideas result in the “emergence” of Spanish America. To be sure, they give rise to Spanish Americanism as Rodríguez defines the term. The title and subtitle of the book should be reversed.
Vicente Rocafuerte is portrayed as the example par excellence of the Spanish Americanists, and he is the figure whose career is followed from 1808 to 1832. Others who share in the Spanish Americanists’ intrigues, plots and diplomatic missions are the New Granadan, José Fernández Madrid; Manuel Lorenzo de Vidaurre of Peru; the Mexicans, José Miguel Ramos Arizpe, José Servando Teresea de Mier, and José Mariano Michelena; and, José Antonio Miralla of Argentina. For the most part they all appear as gadflies, travelling thither and yon in search of some vague Latin American community or brotherhood, freedom for Cuba, and, above all, money and diplomatic recognition from European powers. While nationalism mitigated against community action, the Spanish Americanists were instrumental in obtaining the much needed recognition from European nations. Herein lies the value of Rodríguez’ book. Six chapters (five through eleven) have to do with the politics of recognition and credit and with relations with England, Northern Europe, France, Rome and Spain. The central part of the book, after introductory chapters, is essentially the history of Mexican diplomacy with Europe. Rodríguez makes a valuable contribution in bringing together the details, often tedious, of negotiations carried out by Rocafuerte and his fellow Spanish Americanists. Too often, Rodríguez generalizes about Latin America when he is really writing about Mexico.
Unfortunately, but perhaps this is due to the nature of the work, Rodríguez does not project an image of Rocafuerte the man. We learn little of Rocafuerte except that he was here, there and everywhere. Rodríguez referred to the independence of Spanish America as a “heroic period” (p. xi), but the cast of scintillating characters appears lackluster on Rodríguez’ pages. A more lively style could have placed the Spanish Americanists in a more heroic dimension.
