The Dark Vision of Venezuelan Society: The Idea of the Necessary Strongman in Vallenilla Lanz

Abstract

This article examines the work of Laureano Vallenilla Lanz and his concept of the "Necessary Gendarme," which justifies the need for strong leadership to pacify anarchic societies. It analyzes how this idea has influenced Venezuelan political culture and its persistence in the collective imagination, contrasting it with the country's democratic experiences.