Juan Carulla
Encyclopedia
Juan Emiliano Carulla was an Argentine
physician
and nationalist
politician.
In his early years Carulla was a supporter of anarchism
but this was to change after a trip to Europe
during the First World War. Carulla enlisted in the French Army
as a field doctor
and during his service he became convinced that the left
had done nothing to help the war effort, leading to his abandonment of anarchism. Whilst in France he became a strong supporter of Action Française
and this was to inform his political views when he returned to his homeland.
In Argentina he became associated with the followers of Leopoldo Lugones
and, along with the likes of Rodolfo Irazusta
, helped to found and edit the journal La Nueva Republica (LNR) in 1927. He also produced his own journal Bandera Argentina which, amongst other things, campaigned strongly against female suffrage, dismissing it as "insanity". In his memoirs he would admit that this journal had received assistance from the German
embassy. His work with LNR was pivotal to the development of Argentina's anti-establishment far right
as it represented a break from the old traditionalism
and a new endorsement of corporatism
and a fascist
-inspired nationalism.
Along with Rodolfo and Julio Irazusta and Carulla asked right-wing General José Félix Uriburu
to lead a coup against the liberal
government of Hipólito Yrigoyen
in 1927. The general declined at that stage but did so in 1930, forming a new right-wing dictatorship
in which Carulla enjoyed influence. He was to form part of the Charles Maurras
-inspired elite, alongside the Irazusta brothers, Ernesto Palacio
, Bruno Jacovella and others, who took up their pens in defence of the new regime and effectively supplied it with an ideology
. Cerulla in particular enjoyed strong influence and it was he who was behind the idea of merging all Uriburu's supporters into one militia group, the Argentine Civic Legion
, under the general's government, a move that was seen as pivotal in the fascistisation of the Uriburu.
He was strongly interested in the cultural implications of the Spanish language
and in his book Genio de la Argentina (1943) he wrote that the common language formed a strong basis for close links with Spain, thus endorsing the Hispanidad ideas championed by Manuel Gálvez
. He was also a harsh critic of democracy
, arguing that it was a product of the French Revolution
that was alien and irrelevant to Hispanic countries which, he contended, required authoritarian governments instead. He further believed in the importance of the family and looked to Francisco Franco
in his desire to establish a 'juvenile Falange
' in which young men would be organised at the disposal of the government.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
politician.
In his early years Carulla was a supporter of anarchism
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
but this was to change after a trip to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
during the First World War. Carulla enlisted in the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
as a field doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and during his service he became convinced that the left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
had done nothing to help the war effort, leading to his abandonment of anarchism. Whilst in France he became a strong supporter of Action Française
Action Française
The Action Française , founded in 1898, is a French Monarchist counter-revolutionary movement and periodical founded by Maurice Pujo and Henri Vaugeois and whose principal ideologist was Charles Maurras...
and this was to inform his political views when he returned to his homeland.
In Argentina he became associated with the followers of Leopoldo Lugones
Leopoldo Lugones
Leopoldo Lugones Argüello was an Argentine writer and journalist.-Early life:Born in Villa de María del Río Seco, a city in Córdoba Province, in Argentina's Catholic heartland, Lugones belonged to a family of landed gentry...
and, along with the likes of Rodolfo Irazusta
Rodolfo Irazusta
Rodolfo Irazusta was an Argentine writer and politician who was one of the leading lights of the nationalist movement of the 1920s and 1930s. He collaborated closely with his younger brother Julio Irazusta throughout his career....
, helped to found and edit the journal La Nueva Republica (LNR) in 1927. He also produced his own journal Bandera Argentina which, amongst other things, campaigned strongly against female suffrage, dismissing it as "insanity". In his memoirs he would admit that this journal had received assistance from the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
embassy. His work with LNR was pivotal to the development of Argentina's anti-establishment far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
as it represented a break from the old traditionalism
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
and a new endorsement of corporatism
Corporatism
Corporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that involves association of the people of society into corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, or scientific affiliations, on the basis of common...
and a fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
-inspired nationalism.
Along with Rodolfo and Julio Irazusta and Carulla asked right-wing General José Félix Uriburu
José Félix Uriburu
General José Félix Benito Uriburu y Uriburu was the first de facto President of Argentina, achieved through a military coup, from September 6, 1930 to February 20, 1932.-Biography:...
to lead a coup against the liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
government of Hipólito Yrigoyen
Hipólito Yrigoyen
Juan Hipólito del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Irigoyen Alem was twice President of Argentina . His activism became the prime impetus behind the obtainment of universal suffrage in Argentina in 1912...
in 1927. The general declined at that stage but did so in 1930, forming a new right-wing dictatorship
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
in which Carulla enjoyed influence. He was to form part of the Charles Maurras
Charles Maurras
Charles-Marie-Photius Maurras was a French author, poet, and critic. He was a leader and principal thinker of Action Française, a political movement that was monarchist, anti-parliamentarist, and counter-revolutionary. Maurras' ideas greatly influenced National Catholicism and "nationalisme...
-inspired elite, alongside the Irazusta brothers, Ernesto Palacio
Ernesto Palacio (writer)
Ernesto Palacio was an Argentine historian and part of a generation of right-wing nationalist intellectuals active from the 1920s.-Early years:...
, Bruno Jacovella and others, who took up their pens in defence of the new regime and effectively supplied it with an ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
. Cerulla in particular enjoyed strong influence and it was he who was behind the idea of merging all Uriburu's supporters into one militia group, the Argentine Civic Legion
Argentine Civic Legion
The Argentine Civic Legion was a Argentine nationalist and fascist militia. It was recognized as a political entity on 20 May 1931 and received juridical personality on 11 January 1932. In 1937, the Legion was succeeded and replaced by the Alliance of Nationalist Youth...
, under the general's government, a move that was seen as pivotal in the fascistisation of the Uriburu.
He was strongly interested in the cultural implications of the Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and in his book Genio de la Argentina (1943) he wrote that the common language formed a strong basis for close links with Spain, thus endorsing the Hispanidad ideas championed by Manuel Gálvez
Manuel Gálvez
Manuel Gálvez was an Argentine novelist, poet, essayist, historian and biographer....
. He was also a harsh critic of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, arguing that it was a product of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
that was alien and irrelevant to Hispanic countries which, he contended, required authoritarian governments instead. He further believed in the importance of the family and looked to Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
in his desire to establish a 'juvenile Falange
Falange
The Spanish Phalanx of the Assemblies of the National Syndicalist Offensive , known simply as the Falange, is the name assigned to several political movements and parties dating from the 1930s, most particularly the original fascist movement in Spain. The word means phalanx formation in Spanish....
' in which young men would be organised at the disposal of the government.