Myth and agonism: A philosophical counterpoint in the open marxism of José Carlos Mariátegui

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the concepts of myth and agonism in the work of José Carlos Mariátegui, who is considered the first Latin American Marxist. In the first place, we will describe the Italian experience of the Peruvian thinker that allowed him to know the work of Antonio Labriola and Benedetto Croce, and the participation in the Italian Marxist debate of Georges Sorel. This first point will make it possible to delimit Mariátegui’s work as open marxism in the face of the dogmatism of orthodox Marxism. Second, as a counterpoint, we will develop the concept of myth and agonism Mariátegui’s to demonstrate its relevance in the debate of contemporary political philosophy.