Ethics in Religion Commons^™

Utopia In The Midst Of Oppression? A Reconsideration Of Guaraní/Jesuit Communities In Seventeenth And Eighteenth Century Paraguay, Thomas W. O'Brien

Thomas W O'Brien

This essay is an examination of the 17th–18th century Guaraní/Jesuit communities in Paraguay, which were exalted as utopias by countless witnesses. These authors have stressed the long periods of peaceful coexistence, the rich and fruitful syncretistic melding cultures, the successful and bountiful economic life, and the relative justice. Nevertheless, controversy has always marked these communities because many believe that the Jesuit/Guaraní missions are best understood as integral to the larger oppressive imposition of European polity and culture. These authors stress evidence of condescending paternalism, structural inequality, restricted freedom of choice, and the erosion of a pristine Guaraní culture. This essay …