Temporada 4 Episodio 2 - La filosofía europea y América Latina

Philosophy and Colonialism in Latin America

The Context of Latin American Philosophy

• Latin American philosophy is characterized as a peripheral thought, situated in the context of European influence and colonial legacy.

• It reflects on the heritage of indigenous peoples, national projects, and the rejection of colonialism while advocating for Latin American unity.

• The discussion includes class struggles in Argentina and highlights marginalized countries that have not participated in central historical narratives.

European Philosophy's Influence

• The relationship between European philosophy and Latin America is explored, starting with Hegel's perspective from 1831.

• Key themes include capitalism, instrumental reason, and revolutions within Latin America.

Hegel’s Perspective on the New World

• Hegel views the New World (Latin America) through an Olympian lens, suggesting a sense of superiority over it due to its perceived immaturity.

• He acknowledges that both worlds emerged simultaneously but critiques the geographical development of the New World as lacking maturity.

Colonial Justifications by Hegel

• Hegel implies that Europe must colonize these territories for them to enter universal history; he sees non-European societies as lacking history until they are integrated into Western modernity.

• His view suggests that only through colonialism can these regions gain recognition within historical discourse.

Dialectics and Historical Progression

• Hegel introduces dialectics as a method to understand historical movement; he posits that history progresses through negation leading to absolute knowledge.

• This framework is critiqued for its Eurocentrism, particularly regarding his dismissive remarks about Islam and other cultures.

Marx’s Critique of Colonialism

• Marx builds upon Hegel’s ideas but offers a revolutionary perspective on capitalism's role in societal progress; he admires bourgeois power as a catalyst for change.

• He argues that capitalist expansion leads to industrial proletariat formation necessary for revolution; this view aligns with Engels' thoughts on U.S. expansion into Mexico.

Heidegger’s Critique of Capitalist Subjectivity

• Heidegger critiques modernity by examining how capitalist subjectivity places man at the center of history; this emergence coincides with America's conquest.

• He emphasizes Descartes’ cogito ("I think therefore I am") as foundational to capitalist identity, asserting reality exists because it is conceived by thinking subjects.

Heidegger's Critique of Capitalism and Modernity

The Essence of Being and the Conquest of Nature

• Heidegger argues that humanity forgets the essence of being while focusing on conquering entities, emphasizing a disconnect from nature.

• He critiques capitalist man, whose subjectivity is shaped by technology, leading to the exploitation and devastation of nature without addressing colonialism or class struggles.

• The Western rationality necessitates environmental destruction for technological power, highlighting a critical view on how capitalism operates through resource exploitation.

Imperial Projects and Resource Wars

• The speaker suggests that imperial projects dictate wars over resources; if Iraq had peas, the U.S. would not be there, indicating a focus on oil as a driving force behind conflict.

• Heidegger’s philosophy has gained popularity among right-wing thinkers critiquing capitalism but fails to address colonial implications inherent in capitalist structures.

Shifts in Philosophical Thought Post-Heidegger

• Following the Cold War and the collapse of Soviet Marxism, philosophers like Foucault and Derrida shifted focus from Marxist critique to language's role in society.

• Adorno and Horkheimer reframe Marxist thought away from class struggle towards human-nature relationships in their work "Dialectic of Enlightenment."

Instrumental Reason and Environmental Devastation

• Adorno and Horkheimer describe instrumental reason as leading to planetary devastation under capitalism, contrasting with Marx’s focus on class oppression.

• They argue that modernity represents a catastrophic history for humanity rather than merely an economic struggle.

Colonial Rationality and Historical Context

• The concept of colonial rationality emerges as a force seeking global domination; this perspective aligns with Sarmiento's pro-imperial views advocating for Western rationality's spread into peripheral countries.

• Sarmiento perceives Argentina’s elite as embodying Western rationality while viewing others as lacking it, reinforcing notions of superiority tied to imperial development.

Colonialism: Civilization vs. Barbarism

The Contradiction of Colonialism

• Colonialism is framed as a force of civilization, promoting progress and culture in developing nations.

• This perspective suggests that countries engaging with more developed nations will eventually reach similar levels of development.

Economic Impacts on Argentina

• Buenos Aires is depicted as having monopolized Argentine history, leading to the neglect and ruin of other regions through free trade policies favoring British goods.

• The liberal approach taken by Buenos Aires was destructive rather than integrative, prioritizing commercial interests over regional unity.

Latin America's Struggle for Independence

• Many Latin American revolutions aimed to liberate from Spanish colonial rule, often viewing Spain as an obstacle to capitalist modernity.

• The independence movements were heavily influenced by the desire to engage economically with Britain rather than seeking true autonomy or unity among Latin American nations.

Oligarchies and Fragmentation

• Local oligarchies in Latin America sought individual gains rather than collective unity, leading to fragmentation instead of cooperation across the continent.

• Historical figures like Bolívar and Martí recognized this trend but faced challenges in uniting diverse interests within their respective countries.

Consequences of Economic Alignment

• The transition from Spanish rule to economic ties with Britain resulted in continued dependency rather than genuine liberation for many Latin American countries.

• This shift towards capitalist modernity has led to ongoing crises, particularly regarding inequality—issues that Marxist critiques have highlighted without resolution by current systems.

Understanding Capitalism and Its Inequalities

The Limitations of Capitalism

• The speaker argues that capitalism has not truly surpassed Marxism, as it fails to address the fundamental criticisms posed by Marx regarding inequality.

• A key point made is that capitalism continues to perpetuate significant inequalities, with an increasing number of people facing hunger globally.

• The discussion highlights the notion that historical narratives are often shaped by imperial projects, suggesting that some cultures remain untouched by Western modernity.

Historical Context and Modernity

• The speaker mentions "peoples without history," referring to communities that have not been influenced or integrated into Western advancements.

• There is a suggestion that if certain resources (like peas) were present in Iraq, U.S. intervention would be different, indicating how imperial interests dictate historical developments.