Mariátegui’s Indo-American Socialism and the Problem of Privileged Solidarity

I assess the contributions and limitations of Mariátegui’s Indo-American socialism as a solidarity project aimed at the liberation of indigenous people in Peru. I argue that Mariátegui’s Indo-American socialism offers a good starting point for a coalitional political project between Marxist and indigenous social movements in Latin America. Its decolonial contributions include recognizing indigenous people as revolutionary agents, prioritizing cross-racial solidarity, and centering the needs of indigenous people. However, I also contend that Mariátegui’s coalitional politics are flawed insofar as he fails to fulfill duties of solidarity with indigenous people. I articulate this criticism by drawing on a prominent debate between Mariátegui and Luis Alberto Sánchez, as well as Sally Scholz’s deontic account of solidarity.