Colombia before Independence
Economy, Society, and Politics under Bourbon Rule

This book describes and analyses economic and political developments in Colombia during the final century of Spanish rule.

Anthony McFarlane (Author)

9780521894494, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 16 May 2002

420 pages, 13 b/w illus. 30 tables
22.9 x 15.4 x 2.7 cm, 0.61 kg

"With data drawn from years of patient investigations in archives of Bogotá, Madrid, and Seville, [McFarlane] has synthesized and expanded upon the published and unpublished works of Colombian, North American and British scholars to provide a brilliant portrait of eighteenth-century New Grenada." Jane M. Rausch, Bulletin of the Society for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies

This book describes and analyses economic and political developments in Colombia during the final century of Spanish rule. Its purpose is threefold: first, to provide a general portrait of Colombian society during the late colonial period, showing the character of economic, social, and political life in the territory's principal regions; second, to assess the impact on the region of European imperialist expansion during the eighteenth century; and third, to provide a context for understanding the causes of independence. The book offers the only available survey of Colombian history and historiography for this period.

Introduction
1. Foundations
Part I. Economy and Society In Eighteenth-Century New Granada: 2. Regions and resources
3. Mining frontiers and the gold economy
Part II. The Economics of Bourbon Colonialism: New Granada and Atlantic Economy: 4. New Granada and the Spanish mercantile system, 1700–78
5. Commerce and economy in the age of imperial free trade, 1778–96
6. Merchants and monopoly
Part III. The Politics of Bourbon Colonialism: Reconstructing the Colonial State: 7. Renovation: the establishment of the Viceroyalty
8. Innovation: the Visita General and its impact
Part IV. Government and Politics: 9. Power, politics, and protest
10. Science and sedition
Part V. Crisis in the Colonial Order: 11. War and the weakening of the colonial order
12. The fall of royal government
Epilogue
Appendices
Bibliography.

Subject Areas: Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], History of the Americas [HBJK]