Free Argumentative Essay On Letter To Sarmiento

Dear Sarmiento,

Re: Civilization and Barbarism
I am very pleased to write to you following your sentiments on civilization and barbarism in your book. You make clear your intention of teaching the benefits of a civilized culture among the Argentine people as opposed to the barbaric ways being practiced in Argentina. You are opposed to the dictatorship of Rosas and Facundo. To you, civilization is the only way that we can make Argentina a better place and that involves democracy and freedom of ideas across the nation. You are opposed to barbarism, which is characterized by trivial freedom, injustice and inequality. Apparently, you subsequently spare Facundo from the condemnation by describing him as the “violence and evil fostered by Rosa’s tyranny” (Sarmiento et al. 2003, p. 18). Your sentiments on the wrong doings of Rosa are intensified when you assert that he “made his residence into a kind of asylum for killers, without ever consenting to its use by thieves” (p. 75). Furthermore, you claim that due to the nature of Argentina’s geography, we the Gauchos take advantage of the inability of the government to control the entire vast land and oppress the other inhabitants in such areas. You offer a very hefty insight into the situation in our nation, and we somewhat agree with you on a few points as the gauchos; nevertheless, we dissent on some.
We, the gauchos, agree that the dictatorship of Rosa is wrong and unacceptable if we are to progress as a nation. Argentinean statesmen need to be offered equal opportunities regardless of their social class or gender. Besides, the freedom of ideas will greatly contribute to the economic progress of our nation since the European cultural ideals of education will be integrated into our system. In fact, the growth of the country is hampered by the disconnection among the citizens, and despite the legion of resources we possess, the progress of our nation is moribund. Mr. Sarmiento, we also concur with your assertion that the country is too large for the government to control and this has given room for criminals to exercise their power.
However, we disagree with you on various aspects. On the first note, it is wrong for you to label all the gauchos to be barbaric grounded on the mere fact that Facundo is one of us. His actions and beliefs do not reflect ours. You even agree that we are “nomadic inhabitants of the Pampas” (Sarmiento et al. 2003, p. 5) who resisted authority and city life as well. It does not mean that we are barbaric; rather, we are upholding our culture as pastoralists. We appreciate the importance of civilization, but how justified, is it to adverse your culture and glorify the European culture? It is unreasonable for us the gauchos to abandon our culture and follow your ideals regardless of the economic progress that we stand to gain collectively. Moreover, we do not quite get your argument because you praise Facundo as a civilized person despite his barbaric actions. His actions are unacceptable, and it is needless to exonerate him. Mr. Sarmiento, it is unfair to claim that we are the ones taking control of the land where the government cannot control. If Facundo and Rosa are ill-motivated, that does not depict us, some of us are even victims of their oppression. I recommend that you be specific in your claims instead of generalizing your arguments. Much regards.
Martin Fierro

References

Sarmiento, D. F., González, E. R., & Ross, K. (2003). Facundo: Civilization and barbarism.
Berkeley, Calif.; Los Angeles, Calif.; London: Univ. of California Press.