The The use of the words autonomy, autocthony and dependence, and the idealization of prehispanic history in explaining Peruvian history

Abstract

The present essay analyzes how left-wing intellectuals and those related to it employ and deploy the concepts of autochthony, autonomy, and dependence according to current interests, aiming to demonstrate that Peruvian identity is embodied in the prehispanic past, especially in the incaian age. They create an idealized image of the prehispanic period, oversimplyfing Peruvian history. According to this narrative, Peru experienced autonomy prior to the Spain arrival, to later fall into a dependence that persists on the country. Consequently, true independence of the country is demanded, where the primary role is assigned to the indigenous population, to the detriment of the other Peruvian ethnicities.