Laureano Vallenilla Lanz
Encyclopedia
Laureano Vallenilla Lanz (November 10, 1870 – November 16, 1936) was a Venezuela
n intellectual and sociologist. Vallenilla Lanz held a number of positions under the dictatorship of Juan Vicente Gómez
and is well-known as an apologist for his regime. In his best-known work, Cesarismo Democrático (1919; English
title: Democratic Caesarism), he justified the caudillo
system by stating that due to the character of the Venezuelan people, rule by a dictator who ruthlessly suppresses rivals was necessary to maintain public order. In his view, this system was democratic in the sense that it was due to the "unconscious suggestion of the majority".
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n intellectual and sociologist. Vallenilla Lanz held a number of positions under the dictatorship of Juan Vicente Gómez
Juan Vicente Gómez
Juan Vicente Gómez Chacón was a military general and de facto ruler of Venezuela from 1908 until his death in 1935. He was president on three occasions during this time, and ruled as an unelected military strongman for the rest of the era.-Early years:Gómez was a barely literate cattle herder and...
and is well-known as an apologist for his regime. In his best-known work, Cesarismo Democrático (1919; English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
title: Democratic Caesarism), he justified the caudillo
Caudillo
Caudillo is a Spanish word for "leader" and usually describes a political-military leader at the head of an authoritarian power. The term translates into English as leader or chief, or more pejoratively as warlord, dictator or strongman. Caudillo was the term used to refer to the charismatic...
system by stating that due to the character of the Venezuelan people, rule by a dictator who ruthlessly suppresses rivals was necessary to maintain public order. In his view, this system was democratic in the sense that it was due to the "unconscious suggestion of the majority".