José Carlos Mariátegui and the Cominterm

Abstract

Seven Essays Interpreting Peruvian Reality, by JoséCarlos Mariátegui, published in 1928, is consideredby many the first successful effort to “nationalize”or “regionalize” Marxism in Latin America, but itwas received timidly at the time due in part to itscriticisms of APRA (American Popular RevolutionaryAlliance) and COMINTERN (Third CommunistInternational). The latter, which had alreadly beensubject to a strong process of centralization, wasdecisive in the isolation of Mariátegui’s theoreticaland political positions. It has been several decadessince Seven Essays imposed itself as the mostimportant and influential work produced byLatin American Marxism. This article discussesMariátegui’s relationship to the Comintern, hisarguments with leaders of the PC in the regionand differing perspectives and interpretations ofMariátegui and the IC in relation to various topics,such the organization of the party, the historicalformation of Peruo, the issue of Tacna and Arica,the national question, and other issues.