RODOLFO
RITTER
LAYTON
Moscow (Russian Empire), 1864 - Asuncion (Paraguay), 1946
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Count Rodolfo Ritter Layton, Doctor of Economics, Doctor of Laws, Master of Physics and Mathematics and journalist, was born in Moscow on July the 9th, 1864. Exiled by the Zarist autocracy because of his liberal ideas, he arrived in Paraguay in 1902 and spread through publications, lectures and the weekly magazine El Economista Paraguayo (The Paraguayan Economist), that he founded and directed from 1908 to 1923, the modern conception of Liberal Capitalism developed in England and France, that rejected classic Manchesterian Liberalism (in force in the country at the time), and advocated for the State's indirect and limited intervention in economy, as well as legal protection for the less privileged classes in society.
One of Ritter's main concerns after his arrival in Paraguay was the monetary situation: an inflated circulation of inconvertible paper currency, whose regulation the State had left to the free interaction of particular interests, with catastrophic consequences to national economy. Starting in 1908 he advocated from the pages of El Economista Paraguayo for the creation of an Oficina de Cambios (Exchange Office) that, through State's intervention in the foreign currencies' exchange market with buyings or sellings of foreign currencies, would bring stability to the national currency value (Gold Exchange Standard). The idea was carried out, years later, by the Paraguayan Parliament, that passed the January the 28th 1916, Act Number 182 that created such Governmental institution, the authentic embrio of the Central Bank of Paraguay. By the way, the Act Number 489/95 "That Organizes the Central Bank of Paraguay" established exactly the same system to bring stability to national currency. Thanks to the Oficina de Cambios' regular action it was possible to achieve national currency's stability during the succesful administrations of President Eligio Ayala (1924-1928) and President Jose P. Guggiari (1928-1932), in wich Dr Ritter was appointed economic advisor.
At the same time, Rodolfo Ritter developed an intense intelectual activity in Asuncion. He gave many lectures at the Ateneum and Gimnasio Paraguayo (the Paraguayan Gymnasium), the National University of Asuncion, the School of Commerce, the University's undergraduated associations and workers' association, in wich he demonstrated to be one of the firsts and most convinced advocates of Cooperativism in the country. Ritter befriended Fulgencio R. Moreno, Cecilio Baez, Herib Campos Cervera, sr, Moises S. Bertoni, Teodosio Gonzalez, Enrique Solano Lopez, J. Natalicio Gonzalez and Juan E. O’Leary, and confronted in the press Rafael Barret on "the Social Question", Ignacio A. Pane on an projected law to establish divorce, Manuel Dominguez on the causes of Paraguay's economic weakness.
A convinced admirer of American democracy, Ritter wrote in El Economista Paraguayo several laudatory articles about President Woodrow Wilson, whom he called “Magistrate of the Peoples”, and about the poet Walt Whitman. A declared enemy of both Comunist and Nazi Totalitarism, there are many accounts of Ritter's help provided to Jewish people during the III Reich's persecution in Europe.
At the end of his life, Rodolfo Ritter published in 1945 one last book titled "Apuntes de Economia Politica" (Notes on Political Economics), Volume One, in co-authorship with Dr Luis A. Berthomier, that served for years as textbook to students at the School of Commerce and the National University School of Economics. Ritter comitted suicide in Asuncion on March the 13th, 1946, at the age of 81.
Many contemporary intelectuals left their impressions about Dr Rodolfo Ritter:
“(...) I say we are in the presence of a bright, flexible, broad talent, that assimilates with easy rapidness what observes, and expresses with lucid elegance what has already assimilated. Do not think Dr Ritter's erudition reduces to economic science. You will find him well informed about history, philosophy, even physics, biology and art. He is updated of the contemporary scientific movement. An illustrated spirit in the broadest of the senses, his great culture, his perspicacity, his mental honesty make him a critic; his enjoyable manners and his eloquency make him a master. (...)”. Rafael Barret. EL NACIONAL newspaper. Asuncion, 1910.
“(...) But of course we must recognize that El Economista Paraguayo has as its own, original and unique asset, being the work of one man without any biased view. El Economista Paraguayo is Dr Ritter, not the businessman, speculator or political Dr Ritter, but Dr Ritter as a man of pure scientific abnegation. What other similar example have we got in Paraguay? (...)”. Fulgencio R. Moreno. EL NACIONAL newspaper. Asuncion, 1910.
“(...) illustrated doctor Rodolfo Ritter, that loves so much my country (...)”. J. Natalicio González, 1922.
“(...) Dr Rodolfo Ritter, wise and illustrated, brilliant writer, noble friend. (...)”. Juan E. O’Leary, 1926.
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On March the 14th, 2007, in Asunción (Paraguay), was released under the title "Ritter" a biography of Dr Rodolfo Ritter Layton, written in the Spanish language by the Paraguayan lawyer Xavier de Assis Careaga. The presentation speech was given by the celebrated Paraguayan historian and sociologist Mrs. Milda Rivarola.
"Ritter" was edited by the author in Asuncion in 2007. The book's cover was specially designed by the Paraguayan artist Osvaldo Salerno, Director of the Museo del Barro. It weights 572 grams, measures 21,4 x 15,6 cms, and has 355 pages. In the Republic of Paraguay, the book can be bought at the Intercontinental Editora Bookshop (Caballero St. and Palma Boulevard, Asuncion), and the Quijote Bookshops (Shopping del Sol, Mariscal Lopez Shopping and Mall Excelsior, Asunción), at the price of U$S 10.
In the United States of America it is possible to find the book at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, and at the libraries of the North Caroline University at Chapel Hill and the University of California Riverside; in the Federal Republic of Germany at the library of the Ibero-Amerikanischen Instituts in Berlin; in the Kingdom of Spain at the Hispanic Library of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo, AECID) in Madrid.
© Xavier Careaga, 2008. Asuncion, Paraguay
