The radical liberal tradition, scientific racism, and Panama's Carlos Antonio Mendoza, 1880-1916

Abstract

During the mid-1880s, Colombian politicians created legislation that became known as the Regeneration, which restricted the role of Afro-Latin Americans in government. Elites also incorporated social Darwinism and positivism into their beliefs that led the oligarchy to view Afro-Colombians and Afro-Panamanians as the problems to society's civil strife. Historians argue that as a result the Regeneration and scientific racism, people of African descent lost their influence in Latin American politics by the early-twentieth century. This work analyzes the impact of both the Regeneration and scientific racism in relation to the radical liberal tradition and Afro-Panamanian Carlos Antonio Mendoza. Scholars point to Mendoza's ousting from the presidency in 1910 as proof of his marginalization. Despite the Regeneration and social Darwinist and positivist ideologies, Mendoza adhered to radical liberalism and remained relevant in public life until his death in 1916.