Inspire to Transform: Krauze inaugurates Tec anniversary chats

As part of the Inspire to Transform series of chats to mark Tec de Monterrey’s 80th anniversary, writer Enrique Krauze was interviewed on Wednesday April 26 at the Tec’s Monterrey campus.

Interviewed by political cartoonist Francisco “Paco” Calderón, Krauze talked about concepts and anecdotes from his most recent autobiographical book “Spinoza in Parque México.”

In the book, Krauze addresses his work as an historian, essayist, and political critic, based on a series of conversations with writer José María Lassalle.

In the interview at the Tec, Krauze recalled his Jewish roots and the example of figures such as Octavio Paz and Daniel Cosío Villegas, taking the audience through their intellectual influences.

At the end of the event, students from the Monterrey campus interacted and chatted with Krauze and Calderón.

A learning journey

“Spinoza in Parque México is a book about gratitude for life; for teachers and role models, starting with the grandfather I met when he was the age I am now,” Krauze said.

He explained that the book’s title refers to talks he used to have with his grandfather in the famous Parque México in Mexico City’s Condesa neighborhood and what he learned from the Jewish Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza.

“The first intellectual conversations I had were with my paternal grandfather, who was a tailor who liked books and philosophy,” the writer recalled.

He described how Spinoza’s way of thinking and notion of freedom have marked his life and how socialism disappointed him when he was young.

As teachers of life, Krauze considered intellectuals whom he accompanied from a young age, such as Octavio Paz and Gabriel Zaid, as major influences.

He said that in Mexico in the 1970s, both writers were alone in pointing out the lack of democracy and freedom of mainly leftist Latin American dictatorships.

Krauze also recalled the role that historian Daniel Cosío Villegas had in his life and pointed out that he was the one who introduced him to Manuel Gómez Morín.

“Cosío Villegas introduced me to Gómez Morín. I was Gómez Morín’s biographer. I learned about the history of political freedom in Mexico from Villegas and the history of democracy from Gómez Morín,” he recalled.

“The first intellectual conversations I had were with my paternal grandfather, who was a tailor who liked books and philosophy.”

During the discussion with cartoonist Calderón, the Mexican historian also recalled his experience as a businessman and how, before opening cultural companies such as Editorial Clío, he began by managing his father’s factory.

“As far as I’m concerned, being an entrepreneur has been the best experience of my life. As a boy, I would go to my father’s factory, who would teach me to work by sweeping the print shop.

“This (book) is the story of my formation. It’s the story of how I became a historian, of how I’m an industrial engineer, how I ran some factories with my father,” he shared.

A tribute to the builders of Mexico

During the chat held at the campus Conference Center, Krauze said that he believed the entire construction of contemporary Mexico should be valued more highly.

“Let’s begin by remembering construction dates. There are many more centuries of construction than destruction. This book is a tribute to the builders of Mexico,” he said.

“I trust that we can convey, especially to young people, that Mexico’s history is not only that of three violent uprisings,” he added.

He also called on young people to participate in politics and said that freedom is something to be defended constantly.

“I want the young people of Mexico to really understand that freedom is something to be seized and defended, because it’s lost if we don’t defend it, and it takes many years to recover,” he said.

About Enrique Krauze

Enrique Krauze is also a Mexican editor, professor, and intellectual. He has written over 20 works of biography, history, and essays, collected in over 20 volumes.

These include Siglo de caudillos, Daniel Cosío Villegas: una biografía intelectual, Mexicanos eminentes, La presidencia imperial, and El poder y el delirio, to name but a few.

About the ‘Inspire to Transform’ series of chats

The chat, which took place at the campus Conference Center, marked the start of the “Inspire to Transform” series as part of the Tec’s 80th anniversary celebrations.

To celebrate 80 years of its existence, Tecnológico de Monterrey will offer a series of “Inspire to transform” chats and talks with renowned national and international leaders over the course of 2023.

The themes of these events represent the opportunities that, as an institution and as a society, we have to prepare for to face the challenges that the future holds, including a sustainable world, the transformation of cities and communities, leadership, and research.

Click here to relive the complete chat between Enrique Krauze and Paco Calderón.

With information from Martha Mariano

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