11.2 Impact on colonial social structures

The Bourbon Reforms shook up colonial Latin America's social order. Creoles resented peninsulares getting top jobs, while racial categories got more complex. Some people found ways to climb the social ladder, but it wasn't easy.

Cities grew as indigenous folks moved in for work. The Catholic Church lost some power as the crown pushed for more control. These changes set the stage for big shifts in how colonial society worked.

Social Stratification and Mobility

Creole Resentment and Peninsular Favoritism

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• Creoles, American-born descendants of Spanish settlers, grew increasingly resentful of the preferential treatment given to peninsulares (Spanish-born individuals) by the colonial administration
• Peninsulares were favored for high-ranking positions in the colonial government and the Catholic Church, leading to a sense of discrimination and frustration among creoles
• This favoritism towards peninsulares limited the political and economic opportunities available to creoles, fueling their discontent with the colonial system
• Creoles felt they were being treated as second-class citizens in their own land, despite their wealth and social status

Social Mobility and Racial Categorization

• The Bourbon Reforms aimed to create a more stratified and controlled colonial society, limiting social mobility for non-white populations
• The casta system, a hierarchical classification of racial categories, was reinforced to maintain social order and restrict upward mobility
• Racial categorization became increasingly complex, with numerous subcategories based on the degree of racial mixing (mestizo, mulatto, zambo)
• However, some individuals managed to challenge the rigidity of the casta system through economic success, marriage, or legal petitions, blurring the lines between racial categories
• The ability to purchase whiteness (gracias al sacar) allowed wealthy individuals of mixed ancestry to improve their social standing, highlighting the fluidity of racial categories

Societal Transformations

Indigenous Communities and Urban Growth

• The Bourbon Reforms aimed to integrate indigenous communities more closely into colonial society, increasing their participation in the market economy and urban life
• Efforts were made to reduce the autonomy of indigenous villages and bring them under greater colonial control through policies such as the consolidation of indigenous landholdings (composición de tierras)
• Urban growth accelerated during this period, with the expansion of cities like Mexico City, Lima, and Buenos Aires
• Indigenous people increasingly migrated to urban centers in search of economic opportunities, leading to the growth of urban indigenous populations and the emergence of new social dynamics

Secularization and its Impact

• The Bourbon Reforms sought to reduce the influence of the Catholic Church in colonial society and assert greater state control over religious institutions
• Secularization efforts included the expulsion of the Jesuits from Spanish territories in 1767, which had a significant impact on education and missionary work in the colonies
• The crown also aimed to limit the economic power of the church by restricting its ability to acquire new landholdings (mortmain) and reducing its control over tithes
• These secularization measures contributed to a gradual shift in the relationship between church and state, paving the way for the emergence of more secular ideas and values in colonial society