September 11

Born in 1611 in Upton-upon-Severn, England. He emerged as a vocal supporter of the Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War and later served as secretary to James, 1st Earl of Carlisle. His magnum opus, The Commonwealth of Oceana, published in 1656, laid out a vision for an ideal republic with checks and balances. Harrington’s ideas on land distribution and rotating offices influenced Enlightenment and republican thinkers. Although he faced exile and obscurity under the Restoration, his political theories experienced a revival in the 18th century. Today, Harrington is regarded as a foundational figure in modern republicanism.

Abimael Guzmán (1934-2021) was a Peruvian philosopher and professor who founded and led the Maoist guerrilla group Shining Path. He studied philosophy at the National University of San Cristóbal de Huamanga and taught at various universities in Peru and abroad. In 1970, Guzmán formally launched Shining Path as an armed revolutionary movement against the Peruvian state. The insurgency triggered a protracted conflict characterized by ideological zeal and violent tactics. Captured in 1992, he was sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of terrorism and treason. His actions sparked intense debate over political violence and human rights in Latin America. Guzmán died in prison in 2021, leaving a controversial imprint on Peru's modern history.