<span>To what extent was Bolívar a supporter of Enlightenment ideas?
</span>Simon Bolivar supported many ideas that had their origin in
Enlightenment, such as free speech and democracy. In fact, he was
directly taught about Enlightenment by his teacher, Simon Rodriguez, and
he read many authors relevant for Enlightenment.
Bolívar is a supporter of Enlightenment ideas because he believes in the concept of equal rights. He personally took steps to free the enslaved persons his family owned, and to end slavery in Gran Colombia. In government, he supported the idea of separation of powers as expressed by Montesquieu. However, he also favored a strong executive branch and authoritarian leadership to ensure political stability for the nation. He also opposed the limited government supported by many Enlightenment thinkers. These ideas show that he was skeptical that American-style democracy could work.
