José Batlle y Ordóñez (1856-1929) was a Uruguayan statesman and newspaperman. The dominant political figure in his country's history, he was twice president of Uruguay and made it the most stable and democratic country in Latin America.

José Batlle was born in Montevideo on May 21, 1856, to a politically active family affiliated with the Colorado party. His father, Lorenzo, a general in the army, was president of the republic (1868-1872); he was ousted by an uprising, however, and the family lived in modest circumstances after that time.

Batlle was deeply committed to socially progressive goals from early youth. After completing preparatory school in Montevideo, he entered the National University in 1873. He led a student group working for social reform, but the coming of Uruguay's first true military dictator in 1876 discouraged him. In 1879, without having obtained a degree, Batlle went to Paris in a self-imposed...