Book Description:
Facundo: Civilization and Barbarism by Domingo F. Sarmiento is a foundational work of Latin American literature and political thought, blending biography, social critique, and national history. Published in 1845, the book examines the life of Juan Facundo Quiroga, a brutal and charismatic Argentine caudillo (military leader), as a symbol of the broader struggle between rural barbarism and urban civilization in 19th-century Argentina.
Through the lens of Facundo’s rise and fall, Sarmiento offers a sweeping critique of authoritarianism, regionalism, and the violent legacy of colonial rule. He contrasts the wild, untamed pampas with the orderly ideals of European-style progress, arguing that Argentina’s future depends on embracing education, modernity, and centralized governance.
Part memoir, part manifesto, Facundo is a passionate and often polemical plea for national reform — a complex and enduring exploration of identity, power, and the cultural tensions at the heart of Latin America’s development.
