Revolution Cont.

Introduction to Late Colonial Latin America

In the previous session, we explored the historical context surrounding events in Latin America, the Spanish Empire, and the interplay with the French Revolution. We began our journey back to the turn of the eighteenth century, circa 1700, to examine the conditions in Spain and its colonies.

Economic and Demographic Situations in Spain (1700)

• Demographic Crisis: Spain faced significant demographic decline due to warfare, sickness, and economic stagnation. The Spanish crown struggled with financial difficulties, leading to an overall neglect of the colonies.

• Preoccupation of the Crown: The monarchy’s focus was diverted, resulting in a lack of surveillance over its colonies, allowing local elites to rise in power.

Rise of the Creole Elites in Latin America

• Definition of Creoles: Creoles were individuals of pure Spanish descent born in the New World. They were similar to figures in early American history such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, who descended from British ancestry yet were born in the colonies.

• Socio-economic Growth: Despite Spain's economic stagnation, Latin America saw a population boom and growth of cities, especially urban centers like Mexico City, marking it as a culturally rich city at the time.

• Wealth Accumulation: Creole elites benefited economically from local trade, often circumventing Spanish regulations and creating economically prosperous local institutions, including the Catholic Church and business enterprises.

The Bourbon Reforms

• Context: The Bourbon Reforms, initiated under the Bourbon dynasty that ruled Spain, aimed to restore authority over the colonies. Key Bourbon monarchs included Philip V, Ferdinand VI, and Charles III.

• Historical Background: After the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714), Philip V, a Bourbon, ascended to the throne but had to maintain a separation from the French crown.

• Goals of the Reforms: The Bourbon monarchs sought to reassert control of the colonies to ensure their wealth supported the mother country, Spain.

Key Reforms Implemented

1. Administrative Reforms: Strengthened Spanish bureaucracy in the colonies, creating new vice royalties to be managed by peninsulares (Spaniards born in Spain), effectively replacing the local creole elites.

   • Creation of two new vice royalties: New Granada and Rio de la Plata established around 1776.

2. Military Reforms: Establishment of a standing Spanish army in the colonies, which involved 50,000 troops primarily staffed by officials from Spain, to exert control.

3. Ecclesiastical Reforms: The church's power was curtailed, with the Spanish crown acquiring church lands and taxing church assets, alongside expelling the influential Jesuit order due to its autonomy from royal authority.

4. Economic Reforms: Centralized control of taxation and economic management, removing local authority from creoles and relegating oversight to peninsulares.

Backlash and Resistance to Reforms

• Resentment Among Creoles and Castas: The reforms prompted backlash from creoles and castas (people of mixed heritage). Despite grievances, there was initially little ardor for independence; rather, the focus was on restoring previous autonomy and rights.

• Caminero Revolt: Demonstrated common desires for reform without full independence, while the Chupac Amaru revolt (1780) in Peru was largely focused on anti-colonial goals and aimed at reclaiming indigenous rights.

• Outcome of the Chupac Amaru Revolt: Led by Tupac Amaru II, the revolt called for social equality and the end of Spanish dominance in Peru, but devolved into violent conflicts before being suppressed.

Emerging Unrest and Revolution (1788-1814)

• Transition of Power: With the death of Charles III in 1788, his successor Charles IV faced a diminished monarchy amid the 1789 French Revolution, burdened by various European conflicts.

• Peninsular War: The French invasion of the Iberian Peninsula sparked extensive resistance and the formation of regional juntas aimed at restoring the Bourbon monarchy under Ferdinand VII.

• Changing Governance: The juntas proclaimed a new constitution in 1812, envisioning a shift towards constitutional governance rather than an absolute monarchy.

• Ferdinand VII’s Return: In 1814, Ferdinand VII abolished the constitutional government upon his return, fostering further unrest and questions about independence in the colonies.

Latin American Independence Movements (1810-1826)

• Movement Towards Independence: The period from 1808 to 1826 marked the emergence of various independence movements fueled by the lack of centralized authority and ongoing conflicts.

• Key Historical Events: The first declaration of independence came from Colombia in 1810, followed by fragmented movements across the continent. Chile became the last major territory to declare independence in 1826.

• Continuity of Creole Power: Ultimately, while new nations emerged, the governing elite often consisted of the same creole individuals who had power before independence, leading to racial tensions and economic dependency.

Economic Consequences of Independence

• European Influence: Post-independence, European nations flooded newly formed nations with manufactured goods, leading to increasing debt and dependence on foreign economies, often undermining local autonomy.

• Debt Dynamics: Economic aid and infrastructure projects led to indebtedness, hampering efforts for genuine independence as nations struggled with both structural and financial challenges.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Bourbon Reforms inadvertently sowed the seeds of discontent that culminated in various revolutionary movements across Latin America. The independence process, while significant in breaking away from the Spanish crown, was marked by continuity in elite control and emerging socio-economic challenges that echoed into the future of the newly independent nations.