José Miguel Carrera

This small book accomplishes the purposes of its author in presenting an overview of the saga of José Miguel Carrera, without opening new historical grounds and avoiding—“for the sake of the historical truth”—the most controversial positions on the subject. Fernando Campos Harriet narrates Carrera’s longings, travels and tribulations, stressing his performance as ruler during the Patria Vieja and the events that led him to become a roving leader in Argentina in his relentless ambition to regain power in Chile. Although condemning Carrera’s excesses, the author praises Carrera for his inspiration in the struggle for Chile’s independence. Naturally, the cleavage between carrerinos and O’Hig-ginistas constitutes a major topic, and Campos Harriet contends that their confrontation was not primarily based on personal hate, but that it was forced upon the Liberator by the supreme need to preserve his government. There is no discussion of the negative judgement of Carrera held generally by Argentine historians.