unrestricted free entrepreneurship in the English tradition, and pro-insertion into the international economy under the aegis of foreign investment, he faced many pro-Liberal rebellions but somehow managed to hold on to power by the force of his assertive personality. He completed his term and in 1892 passed the baton to another Conservative, his understudy and vice-president Mariano Baptista. Later life and death Retirement and the elections of 1904 Arce retired from politics after the end of his term, although he served as an unofficial but very important adviser to the Conservative Presidents Baptista (1892–1896) and Severo Fernández (1896–99). He was forcefully returned to the political limelight at the turn of the century when he suffered political prosecution at the hands of the Liberal Party, which had at long last seized power in the Civil War of 1899. Surprisingly, the elderly Arce was nonetheless allowed to present himself as candidate for president at the 1904 general elections. Presumably because he was 80 years old, unpopular, and therefore quite beatable. Finding the party he founded demoralized, vilified, and acephalous, the combative Arce accepted the difficult challenge of running against the officially supported, popular Liberal candidate Ismael Montes. He was trounced, losing by a wide margin—the largest in Bolivian electoral history up to that point. Death The former president then finally retired completely from politics, withdrawing to his vast rural estate, where he died two years later in 1906, at the age of 82. He is best remembered for his assertive temperament and firm stance in favor of a civilian democratic (although oligarchic) order and for having laid the foundation for the functioning of a modern party system in the country. References 1824 births 1906 deaths 19th-century Bolivian politicians Ambassadors of Bolivia to Chile Ambassadors of Bolivia to France Ambassadors of Bolivia to Spain 19th-century Bolivian businesspeople Bolivian expatriates in France 19th-century Bolivian lawyers Bolivian people of Spanish descent Bolivian Roman Catholics Candidates in the 1884 Bolivian presidential election Candidates in the 1888 Bolivian presidential election Conservative Party (Bolivia) politicians Government ministers of Bolivia Finance ministers of Bolivia People from Tarija Presidents of Bolivia Presidents of the Senate of Bolivia Vice presidents of Bolivia