Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Studying these reforms as a whole, one cannot escape the conclu-
sion that they succeeded so well in the Río de la Plata that they ulti-
mately undermined, rather than strengthened, Spanish colonialism.
The Bourbon reforms gave focus to resentments at all levels of society.
They provided the spark for several rebellions, but most of all, they fas-
tened the colonies so securely to Spain that the colonial subjects in the
Southern Cone became unwittingly involved in several European wars
that eventually provoked what the reforms were intended to avoid—
social unrest, rebellion, and political independence.
The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
In terms of colonial administration, the changes were far-reaching.
The reforms scrapped the old setup that had divided Spanish America
between the viceroyalties of New Spain (Mexico) and Peru. Many new
administrative entities were carved out, particularly in South America.
The Viceroyalty of New Granada, with its capital at Bogotá, was estab-
lished in 1739, with authority over Ecuador and Venezuela, as well as
Colombia. The Crown then detached extensive territories of the Río de
la Plata to establish a third viceroyalty in South America with its capital
at Buenos Aires. The citizens of Buenos Aires, the
porteños,
basked in
their new status.
This administrative change seemed to confirm the logic of contra-
band, for Buenos Aires gained control of all the hinterland with which
it had been trading—illegally for the most part—for more than a cen-
tury. Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia all became part of the Viceroyalty
of the Río de la Plata, a momentous administrative change that removed
Lima's control over the silver mines of Potosí. The Crown did extract a
price for this new prestige. It staffed the top positions in the new vicere-
gal government with Spaniards. Creoles, American born whites, could
only share power in the town councils
(cabildos)
and even then only in
positions subordinate to the wealthy Spanish-born merchants.
“Free Trade”
Commercial relations had to change because Spain's mindless trade
sanctions could not accommodate the economic expansion of the
18th century. The fleet system was in shambles, so the trade ministry
loosened its grip in the 1740s and allowed individual ships to trade at
Buenos Aires. The more flexible shipping, an end to many trade restric-
tions, and lower tariffs in Latin America permitted Spain to respond to
British commercial pressure. Many of these trade reforms, as well as
