Modernidad y anarquía: sobre lo colectivo en las crónicas de Rafael Barrett

Abstract

Along with its notion of ​​progress, the project of modernity is regularly criticized by environmental thinkers. However, at different times in the 20th century, some conceptions emerged that see in this project the possibility, ultimately, of achieving full integration between nature and humanity. This article presents the reflections of the Spanish-Paraguayan anarchist and modernist chronicler Rafael Barrett (1876-1910) with the aim of presenting the elements of an environmental thought as part of the modern project. The article begins with key concepts of modernity present in Barrett's chronicles. From then on, I propose a dialogue with Bruno Latour's notion of "the collective" and two possible readings of Barrett's work that turn out to be contradictory: while he considers a common and shared world between human and non-human beings, he locates human being in a hierarchical position that enables them to make decisions about other living beings. Finally, he proposes the anarchist notion of individuation as one that transcends the contradiction and that allows to affirm this hierarchical place to achieve integration with nature.