Colombian History. An analysis of "Myths of Harmony" by Marixa Lasso

        These years were also critical in the sense that creoles not only joined the pardos in conspiracies to depose Spanish authority but they also argued in opposition to the Cortes of Cadiz which did not permit citizenship to those of African descent. Lasso demonstrates that apart from non-whites, creoles adapted to the liberal notions set forth which gave them influence and also shared a common morality with the non-whites in contrast to Spanish virtues. Lasso emphasizes the significance of racial harmony in the 1820's as a powerful component of Colimbian nationalism and the idea of being "with us or against us." Moreover by explaining this Lasso shows that the reality of race problems was more complicated but nonetheless the "myth" of racial harmony had been created.

        Once you give a majority some sort of freedom, they will demand more and more. This happened with pardos. As pardos became more involved in the patriot movement they helped the creoles seize power over the Spanish but on the other hand both the creoles and Spaniards feared that the non-whites could escape their political control. Lasso effectively shows how pardos demand for independence was fueled not by harmony but by violence and force. Pardos soon served as congressmen and denounced the people who they believed were aristocratic and also demanded the election for their pardo candidate as governor through mob action saying it was "the will of the people" (81). Armed crowds of blacks and mulattoes backed by  pardo artisans forced the Creole junta of Cartagena to elect Garcia de Toledo. The creoles saw this out of line. On the other hand it was seen as a "legitimate actor that influenced local politics (73)." The ineffective participation of the pardos soon led to the formation of two groups called the Pineristas and the Toledistas. Toledistas saw the mob attack as humiliating and therefore wanted to control the pardos and artisans. Pineristas were extreme anti-aristocrats that favored equality no matter what. Moreover, the strive towards equality by these two groups created violence and factionalism and Lasso basically argues that the actions of the lower class became de-politicized in the views of the upper class. The creoles described the lower classes as "demagogues" and "raucous bandits" which delegitimized their actions. Lasso makes it very clear that republicanism brought out disorder immorality and  was ineffective in practice (87). In general the excessive participation of the lower classes held everybody back from progress.

        Although political matters had not gone in the right direction, the pardos did not back down. In a sense there was a shift in principles between the pardos and the creoles. The elites "felt a sense of social vulnerability and some pardos felt a new sense of empowerment that allowed them to express their concerns openly." Pardos use of the "patriotic rhetoric of harmony and equality" was conveniently used to challenge the long lived racial inequality in which the elite responded with accusations of race war (103). Lasso uses various examples to amplify this view by using people like Remigio Marquez. Marque was accused of "sedition, the subversion of public order, and the promotion of conflict between citizens and was subjected to a much publicized trial before Congress" (109). Because Marquez was Pardo, "issues of race war and social control overshadowed the initial dispute" (110). It seems as though the accusations against Marquez were weak and didn't fully reflect racial conflict. Moreover it became a matter of Marquez having ruled as a pardo over several creoles. Lasso demonstrates how the elites became so entrenched in the idea of race war and radical republicanism of the nonwhites that they saw no middle ground between that and racial harmony. In the case of Marquez, "regardless of his personal political conduct and loyalty then, Marquez's mere presence as a pardo authority made him threatening. Racial grievances were seen as crossing the line because creoles truly believed that racial equality had been reached in some skewed form. Racial debates and expression of racial problems were therefore "expunged from legitimate public discourse" (143). Thus Lasso challenges that the elites delegitimized racial grievances to uphold the idea of racial harmony among the population. In a sense the elites convinced themselves of something that was virtually impossible.

        Lasso provides an insightful analysis on the racial discourses of this age of revolution. She ties in several views of independence and racial equality while demonstrating an era of social and political change. Overall Lasso provides an excellent model for the pardo point of view and successfully ties in race, class and nation.