Peruvian Society I History and Attitudes

Peruvian Society
(An Ocasional Series)

These articles are not written from a superior attitude which despises Peruvian society. If they are critical, it is the criticism of someone who is trying to understand and then to explain, what he has observed as a foreigner living in Peru. As such, they are a humble attempt to explain matters to outsiders from the point of view of an outsider who has had the privilege of “insider” knowledge.

They are not the product of profound reading, but of simple observation, and are personal reflections from an Evangelical perspective and with application to evangelicalism in Peru. All that is said in them should be seen in this light.

I History and Attitudes

Oppression is a reality in Peru. In the 1980’s, during the period of apartheid in South Africa, Peru was known as “the hidden South Africa”. Your surname, the colour of your skin, or your features determined your place in society. This is changing, especially in the last 20 years, and may perhaps go to the opposite extreme.- a 360 degree turnaround that will bring us to a position where the more “European” one is the more discrimination there will be against one.

The Inca Empire is seen as an ideal time in Peruvian history, when everyone was equal. The political Left has seen it as an almost utopian model. However this is simply a myth. The Inca, his family and court were very much in power. Everyone else was equal and society provided for all the needs of all the people in a form of collectivism. But there was no real freedom.- come to think of it, perhaps this does reflect a leftist utopia.

The Spaniards are seen as the cause of all the problems in Peru. Less than 20 men conquered the entire Inca Empire by holding the Inca to ransom for two rooms of gold and then killing him anyway.

The Incas had three basic laws: Do not lie, do not rob, do not be lazy. It is said that the Spaniards practiced just the opposite. They became owners of vast territories and enormous numbers of slaves. Whilst the slaves worked they put their feet up and enjoyed themselves (when they weren’t fighting amongst themselves or putting down futile rebellions).

So the idea exists in Peru that one has “arrived” when he is in charge and doesn’t actually do anything, but has everyone dependant upon him. The Spanish exploitation of the riches of the Inca Empire is seen in the attitude of the professional classes of a generation ago. Professional men expected to work for 30 years (women for 25) and then retire on full pension without tax. Thus a man could retire at 50 and expect to spend the rest of his life eating, drinking and making merry with his friends. This ideal is still cherished by the older generation of middle class professionals, who resent the law which now obliges their children to work until they are 65.

Oppression of the “indians” (now a politically incorrect term and a great insult) resulted in two opposite reactions: one is an almost masochistic resignation which does not expect anything to change and is indifferent to anything except authoritarianism, to which it responds with instant obedience; and the other is an almost institutional view of Revolution as something desirable and to be applauded.

Leading revolutionary leaders almost invariably have come from high society (with a few exceptions such as Hugo Blanco in Cuzco who is indigenous, but is married to a Swiss woman).

Sadly these situations are reflected in Evangelical churches and organizations, where “indians” are loyal to their churches, but know they will be ignored in major decision-making, unless the church is almost totally indigenous (as in the sierra). They are often resigned to this, but often harbour a deep resentment to authority.

Pastors and other leaders (“Servants” is the in term) are often authoritarian and these types of people actually achieve many things, but at the cost of harshness and dictatorship.