Una mirada al conservadurismo y al liberalismo en la obra A la Costa de Luis Alfredo Martínez

Abstract

Abstract: This text discusses conservative and liberal perspectives in *A la Costa* (1904) by Luis Alfredo Martínez a foundational work of Ecuadorian realism. Through a historical-contextual and literary analysis, it examines how the narrative spaces of the highlands (*sierra*) and the coast function as opposing chronotopes, deeply imbued with ideological significance. While the highlands are presented as representing a traditional, clerical, and hierarchical order, the coast promotes social mobility and economic progress alongside new forms of exploitation linked to the rise of 19th-century agro-export capitalism. The cast of characters illustrates the clash between these two ideologies without any single character fully embodying either and reveals the structural limitations inherent in both competing visions for the nation. Martínez offers a critical, balanced perspective that, rooted in Ecuadorian social realism, denounces both the moral authoritarianism of conservatism and the profound inequalities perpetuated by economic liberalism. This research demonstrates that *A la Costa* is more than a mere historical chronicle; it stands as an essential literary document regarding the modernization of Ecuador at the turn of the century one that remains highly relevant in the 21st century.