Taking an analytical-descriptive and synthetical approach, this article presents a retrospective construction of the Ecuadorian indigenist school of good living from the current conception of good living as the sumak kawsay currently held by Ecuadorian indigenist intellectuals, assuming that thought on good living evolves within competitive epistemic communities. To that end, the thought on good living of this school has been characterized by nine criteria used in studies of schools of development, the various intellectuals that comprise this school have been identified and grouped into four categories, the institutional and intellectual factors that have contributed to the emergence of this school have been determined, and the main criticisms received and their countercriticism have been summarized.