The Debate in the Newspapers of the Young Enlightened of San Juan. An Ideological Struggle Through the Pen (1825–1861)

The written press in the Argentine province of San Juan is celebrating its bicentennial this year, having first appeared in 1825 when the printing press was introduced during the liberal government of Salvador María del Carril. This research project aims to investigate the influence of liberal ideology on the enlightened young members of the local elite. The study will cover the period from 1825 to the reissue of the newspaper El Zonda in 1861, just a few months before Domingo Faustino Sarmiento assumed the governorship. The ideological debate in the press is important for identifying the different factions within the provincial elite, as the aforementioned liberal sector was opposed by a more conservative faction that emphasized colonial traditions and the Roman Catholic religion. Likewise, the liberal and conservative sectors represented the Unitario and Federal parties respectively. During the first half of the 19th century, these parties engaged in a fierce struggle for political power throughout the Argentine Confederation. Liberal ideas were noticeably influenced by their counterparts in the United States and Europe. This ideology sought to modernize society and put an end to conservative ideas representing Spanish heritage, caudillos and backwardness. Therefore, this paper proposes to take a look at the print media in San Juan during the first half of the 19th century.