Alberto Masferrer: Biography and Literary Analysis
Biography of Alberto Masferrer
Alberto Masferrer was born in the town of Tecapa, which in Nahuatl means “Laguna de Piedras”. Today it is called Alegría in the City Department of Usulután, El Salvador. He was self-educated and lived in various cities in Central America. He also traveled to Chile, New York, and Europe. He served as consul in San José de Costa Rica and Belgium.
I. The Minimum Vital
The Reason for the Title
The work is an essay that addresses the primary needs of each person, both as an individual and as a group. It mainly mentions what these needs are, without removing any and without adding unnecessary ones. This relationship leads us to see the “minimum” needed to live, hence the title “The Minimum Vital.”
Geographical, Political, and Social Context
The Minimum Vital is a socio-political essay written in 1929. It’s important to consider that at that time, Pio Romero Bosque was in power in El Salvador. Things were not going very well, not only because of the stock market crash that year, but also because of Arturo Araujo’s previous governance. When General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez came to power, Alberto Masferrer’s books and ideology were considered revolutionary, and he had to leave the country. Although these events occurred after the publication of The Minimum Vital, they provide insight into Masferrer’s experiences and motivations for writing the essay.
Language Used
As a social essay dealing with a sensitive and complex issue, the text aims for public accessibility, allowing readers to understand the relationship between the variables used to explain the term “Minimum Vital.” Despite this, the message of the work is directed to all people, and even to all nations.
The language can be complex at times, particularly when delving into the intricacies of the topic. If one point is not understood, it can hinder the comprehension of the subject as a whole, especially when attempting to put it into practice.
Although not using popular language due to the complexity of the subject, Masferrer employs everyday examples to facilitate understanding.
Personal Assessment
Personally, I must admit that the essay did not initially pique my interest. However, as I began reading, I realized that the issue was quite complex and that if I didn’t pay close attention to the details, it would be very difficult to understand the issues Alberto Masferrer wanted to expose.
Gradually, I came to understand what he called the Minimum Vital, and then, of course, its applications. But I also found a major problem: putting it into practice. As the essay itself states: “If these concepts take hold, if they shake and stir the conscience of men…” All the concepts that it promotes, such as “our” instead of “mine”, “absolute” instead of “partial”, etc., are meant to reach the hearts of all people, “from above” and “from below”, so that the Minimum Vital can be achieved in all its splendor. However, it seems more like a utopia than a reality.
The essay highlights what we should strive for but doesn’t explicitly say how to achieve it, suggesting that the answer will vary “according to the place and time.”
II. Evil Money
The Reason for the Title
Masferrer refers to “Evil Money” as money that is honestly earned but spent in a wrong way. By “wrong,” he means buying unnecessary things, as is common today due to globalization. Spending on frivolous services and items that only serve to “shine” a light on the worst aspects of human nature is what he considers “Evil Money.” This money, he argues, contributes to the creation of numerous offenders.
Masferrer calls this money “cursed” because it only brings trouble to those who waste it on vices, and to their families, who suffer when their members are caught in this “curse” by not knowing how to use money responsibly.
Geographical, Political, and Social Context
Evil Money was written in 1927, during the presidency of Pio Romero Bosque, who granted many civil liberties that had been ignored by the Melendez-Quiñones dynasty. A few years prior, President Manuel Enrique Araujo had sent Masferrer to Antwerp, Belgium, as consul, a position that proved unproductive due to the lack of commercial activity between that city and El Salvador. Upon returning from Belgium, Don Alberto supported the reelection campaign of Carlos Melendez, an ambition that was at the core of the oligarchy that ruled until March 1, 1927, when Dr. Pio Romero Bosque assumed the presidency. During Carlos Melendez’s time, Masferrer led the newspaper ‘El Pais’ in support of his reelection, expressing undemocratic views.
Language Used
Evil Money is a moral essay that addresses the moral aspects of individuals and establishes rules of behavior and ideology for personal and social improvement.
It uses a combination of colloquial language with a touch of religious rhetoric to effectively develop its thesis.
Personal Assessment
The thesis about the negative influence of alcohol, particularly the production of harmful brews, is well-structured. It suggests that the worst evil exists because it degrades a person into something worse than a beast, stripping them of their soul and being, leaving only a useless eyesore.
While the effects of alcohol are undoubtedly harmful, it’s important to remember that this substance was not invented by humans but rather managed by them. Nature produces this “spirit” through fermentation. Masferrer’s view seems extreme in that it gives the impression that even a single drop of liquor is bad. As the saying goes, “everything in excess is bad,” and the same applies to alcohol. If a person can “control” this evil, they can avoid the terrifying effects it can produce.
In its favor, I must say that all the evils that Alberto Masferrer describes are valid, and he even blames those who produce, distribute, and sell this “sacred” liquid for turning their peers into the scum of the earth.
In conclusion, Evil Money is a powerful essay that contains valid and compelling arguments. However, from my perspective, it is quite extreme. Nevertheless, if you have the ability to “read between the lines,” the message is impactful and can be readily accepted by the reader.