Eugenio Espejo

Eugenio Francisco Xavier de la Santa Cruz y Espejo ( baptized on February 21, 1747 in Quito, † December 27, 1795 in Quito ) was a writer, a doctor, a lawyer and thought leader in the independence during the Spanish colonial rule in the later Ecuador. He is considered one of the most enlightened thinkers of Latin America in the late 18th century and adapted these ideas coming from Europe the social conditions of its surroundings to.

Life

Espejo was the son of a mulatto and indigenous people. His father was originally named Luis Chusig and came from Cajamarca. It came with a Bethlehemite - priest, who was head of the quitener Mercy Hospital, to Quito. Chusig, who changed his name to Santa Cruz y Espejo, worked there as a nurse, administrator and surgeon. His son, Eugenio worked from an early age as his helper and assistant. In addition, he attended classes, members of the Dominican priest for poor children and was later taught by Jesuits. In 1762 he earned with distinction a university degree in philosophy. In 1765 he took a medical degree at the Universidad San Fernando of the Jesuits and reached there in 1767 and earned a doctorate as a doctor shortly afterwards Ph.D. in secular and canon law. He was an avid reader and took all the latest ideas from the fields of philosophy and politics to. As a mestizo it was for him still not easy to make his way in the classic colonial society of his time. It was not until 1772 he was admitted as a practicing physician during a smallpox epidemic.

Despite the resistors in the society of Quito, he was one of the key figures of cultural life, particularly in the dissemination of progressive ideas, which he was supported by a considerable part of the Criollo aristocracy. In 1779 he published his first important work, El Nuevo Luciano de Quito (Eng. The new Lightbringer Quito ), an impressive and clear criticism of all the problems and shortcomings of the cultural life in the Real Audiencia de Quito, which he, in two other works Marco Porcio Catón maintained ( against practicing physicians with no academic qualifications, etc.) (via Cato the Censor ) and La Ciencia Blancardina. In 1785 he wrote at the request of the authorities of Quito the important practical medical work Acerca Reflexiones de un método para preservar a los pueblos de las viruelas ( reflection on a method to preserve the nations before the smallpox, 1785 ). This reflects on the one hand of Espejos medical expertise and on the other hand, an important tradition to the hygienic conditions in Quito this period that gave rise to significant criticism Espejos to the officials and their handling of the epidemic occasion.

His critical and cultural activities called the state power against him on the scene, so that he fled in 1786 to Riobamba, where the local priest protected him and Espejo aggressively defended against the allegations. He was exiled to Bogotá, the capital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada, where a trial began against him, still increased his reputation.

After his return to Quito he could from 1789, he first exercise for two years no offices, but was allowed to continue to write. In 1791 he was appointed the first director of the new public library, which was comprised of over 40,000 volumes of the Jesuits, who had been briefly reported previously from the Spanish possessions formed. In November 1791, he had a leading role in the founding of the Sociedad de Amigos del País Patriótica de Quito (German Patriotic Society of Friends of the Country of Quito ). Comparable associations began to emerge at this time in Spain and the colonies. In 1792 he published the first newspaper of Quito, the Primicias de la Cultura de Quito, but from the published only seven issues. For his relentless accusations against the ruling states he was imprisoned again. He died at the age of 48 years in 1795 in the state prison of Quito.

Reception and impact

Espejos thinking combines the ideas of the Enlightenment with the social and cultural reality of colonial Quito. He was one of the first to make the need for emancipation from Spain and clearly proclaimed the independence of his country and of all America. His plans included the formation of an independent sovereign republics, in which all citizens should have the same rights. The church property should be secularized and nationalized. In his mind the ideal of equality of indigenous, mestizo and European colonialists clearly protruding ( an ideal that was not implemented in the later process that led to the independence of Ecuador ), as well preoccupation with women's rights. His ideas were, if significantly changed in important respects, the basis for the first declaration of independence of Ecuador on August 10, 1809.

Works

• Acerca Reflexiones de un método para preservar a los pueblos de las viruelas ( 1785 ), online in full text (413 pages, Spanish) available at http://www.conmemoracionescivicas.gov.ec/obras/reflexionesespejo.pdf
• Voto de un Ministro de la Audiencia de Quito Togado (1792 ), online in full text (149 pages, Spanish) available at http://www.conmemoracionescivicas.gov.ec/obras/vototogado.pdf