I must thank my Venezuelans for giving me this article idea, muchas gracias!
Alas on the streets I hear it all the time, people talking about the "old days" and assuming that there was a time in history where we as a society were less connected. Many people go about their day assuming that history, cultures and politics has no effect on them. They could not be more incorrect as these three topics are not only strongly inherited but they have a very firm impact on our daily lives.
This is in fact, a completely false perception of history. The past may fool us as segregation and other obstacles gave the false illusion of sameness.
Ideas know no boundaries and no borders. Ideas can transcend up the peaks of the Alps, penetrate the Sahara desert, and plunge through the Amazon jungle. While cultures shape perceptions of society, cultures are meant to be shared and always have come in contact with one another- whether it was like Polish and Ukrainian, or as far apart as India and England. There has always been cultural interaction.
A very specific example that I think deserves to be noticed by us is- democracy!
Not saying I will plunge myself into a full history of democracy but the very word makes my heart swell with joy. Democracy, republicanism, representative government- this is all that I believe we strive for in society. To have a government that is of us and listens to us. No absolute monarchy, divine right, or other authoritarian methods- please give me a government of the people that protects the rights of the people and I shall be content.
For I hope you enjoyed my time traveling revolutionary series, allow me to put on BolÃvar's cape and my phyrigian hat while telling this story.
I also have articles on Kosciuśzko's Rebellion, and the 1830/1832 Revolutions in France.
For simplicity sake lets start in France.
Vive la republique!
Alas I proclaim that loudly and I proclaim it clearly. This phrase which encompasses that desire that I have so often expressed at coffee houses- a right to be free from the absolute divine right of kings.
You may be thinking "why is divine right so bad?"
Ahhh, I've touched on this issue before- basically it elevates the king (or president) to a god-like status and will use him to justify anything even if what the king is doing is immoral and contradicts everything in scripture (such as the kings of France and Spain committing genocide and using the church to justify it)
Throughout the world in the Middle Ages, whether it was strong chiefs or strong kings- the idea of "divine right" ruled whether Christian or Pagan.
In every country, there was a sense of the leader being closest to God. In reality the leader only ever achieved that status because he was lucky enough to one time be born into the class whose ancestors were the strongest hunters.
Ahhh me? a member of the educated bourgeois. I'm not nobility. I'm university educated, and well-versed in the ideals of the Enlightenment but alas I have not been born a royal.
Ohh that group of people over there? the proletariat! They were born into the trade profession, and the nobility enjoys oppressing them. It is a terrible injustice it really is, if only we can unite and show the nobility who we truly are.
Now that scenario I just made can fit 1810 Venezuela just as well as 1789 France can't it? My character an educated member of the Bourgeois, and in both scenarios can't succeed.
The 1832 June Rebellion was led by a member of the working class (Charles Jeanne, my all time favorite historical figure)
the American Revolution was led by a mixture of bourgeois and proletariat. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams all belonged to the class educated in these radical new ideas that could not succeed.
Others like Roger Sherman were true working class members who excelled in a trade, as well as my ancestor Peter Slater- an American independence activist who worked as a rope maker on the shipyard.
The French Revolution was concentrated more to the bourgeois. Robespierre, Saint-Just, Desmoulins, Danton were all educated but could not succeed in this system. The Sans-Cullottes were the working class members.
Latin America? their heroes San Martin, Simon BolÃvar, Antonio Jose de Sucre and Miranda were all very wealthy and well-educated. BolÃvar had a tutor (Simon Rodriguez) who shared with him many good Enlightenment philosophers before he was banished
With the invention of the printing press in what is now considered Germany, the words of ordinary people had a chance to be heard by mass production. These pamphlets crossed international borders and specifically France and England became popular places for the Enlightenment thinkers to gather and philosophize.
Words can connect borders and cultures, and open our eyes to ideas such as "a divine right despot is not the way it should be"
So what am I? An educated bourgeois in revolutionary era France to do?
Well, if the Americans challenged the British Empire- I'm sure I can challenge the king of France.
Now what am I, an idealistic creole in Venezuela to do? Well look at that- the USA broke free from an empire, and France overthrew their monarch. With some knowledge of French, and reading the documents translated to Spanish I can easily have access to Enlightenment ideals.
The free press kept these ideas moving, as did free and open coffeehouse discussions.
Much like today's world where people gather in coffeehouses and have a deep discussion while sipping their chai tea lattes-- Enlightenment Era thinkers were not that much different from us.
They would sit in coffeehouses and much like us today would have discussions about the current events.
Yes these are different cultures and different times, but no culture stands alone. Cultures and people have been forever moving and sharing ideas. Would the 18th century look the same without the French Enlightenment? Of course not! That strand of liberty and standing against monarchy would touch the far reaches of the world and the Americas. BolÃvar himself was an admirer of both the American and French Revolutions (but he believed the French Revolution was too radical)
As much as people in the United States love to distance themselves from the French Revolution and claim that our revolution was the "good moral revolution" and "influenced by Protestantism and the English Civil War" we are not an island, and our founding fathers were very well-read men who read a variety of sources from the French Enlightenment, Biblical texts and ancient Roman works. They did not agree 100% with every text, but who really does?
It is impossible to separate history from the present, and cultures from each other. They are constantly moving like a river, and constantly merging into each other. One cannot understand the present day without discussing the historical events of the past, and one cannot understand one culture without understanding the context and influence from others. We never have been an isolated society. In order to understand one we cannot leave out the rest. People around the world have one desire- to have a voice. While cultures and time periods are different, they are all constantly interacting with each other.
Just like cultures- individual humans are all very different, but we cannot help but interact. We also interact constantly to our past. From this example on the large scale it is impossible to have history, culture and current politics separate from each other. You cannot say "well I only like cultures but not politics" they are all related. We cannot understand the world today without knowing our past, There is truly no such thing as "unrelated knowledge" as it all has an impact.
The more you know about the world around you, the past and the present- the more you have a chance to smash the chains of oppression.
Present day- what are people concerned about?
Societies were we cannot advance without family connections, increasing trend of autocratic leaders and rulers at the expense of the democratic process, the idea of "divine right" verses the "will of the people"
What do we do in our leisure time? Talk politics in cafes with some friends, and interact daily with people from around the world.
This era of history has many to offer us today- it warns against the dangers of absolutism but also the dangers of the pure will of the people. It warns against too much ambition, and it shows us very human characters with flaws who persevered against all odds to give us a better world. It shows us these lessons through very real individuals- Washington, Robespierre and BolÃvar were in no ways perfect but each of them has taught me much about humanity.
They also teach us the importance of understanding others. Many of the upper class of the French Revolutionaries did not take time to understand the Sans-Culottes. BolÃvar sometimes appeared to be "showing off" to the lower class of Venezuela and men like Paez became increasingly offended, and those of his own class such as a Santander became increasingly jealous.
They teach us the importance of friendship and loyalty. Jefferson and Kościuszko (Polish Revolutionary), Lafayette and Washington crossed international boundaries and formed solid friendships. Benjamin Franklin as well knew how to communicate and show interest in others.
Antonio Jose de Sucre, the best friend of Simon BolÃvar 's showed immense loyalty but also wisdom. He offered solid advice, and had a strong moral compass. Sucre was at heart a diplomat who sought to mend the wounds of Gran Colombia and bring stability. He valued Bolivar as a friend and stood by his side no matter what, but Sucre also knew when to tell BolÃvar he was doing something wrong.
We all need a Sucre friend in our life!
As for BolÃvar (the same goes for KosciuÅ›zko, Charles Jeanne and countless others) they serve as encouragement to never give up despite countless rejections and failures. But to hold high the banner of liberty and proclaim to the world "this is what I believe" and although you may fail at first or have people doubt you, lthe more you push forward to your goal and learn as much as you can- you will be unstoppable.
"God gives victory to perseverance" - Simon BolÃvar
History is not distant, and cultures are not isolated. Understanding all of the stories of the world is not just a "fun thing to do" (although I will admit it is very fun!) it is a duty as a citizen of the world. You must understand the humanities if you ever interact with the world.
We have more common ground than you may think, talk a bit longer over the coffee and we may see a shared desire to make the world a better place, and we may see shared desires with people from other eras and places whom offer us very valuable lessons about the world.
"The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant."
― Robespierre
