The Venal Origins of Development in Spanish America

Name: The Venal Origins of Development in Spanish America
Brand: Cambridge University Press
Availability: OutOfStock
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By Jenny Guardado

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Description

Venal Origins is a comparative and historical study of the roots of spatial inequalities in Spanish America. The book focuses on the Spanish colonial administration and the 18th-century practice of office-selling-where colonial positions were exchanged for money-to analyze its lasting impact on local governance, regional disparities, and economic development. Drawing on three centuries of rich archival and administrative data, it demonstrates how office-selling exacerbated venality and profit-seeking behaviors among colonial officials, fostering indigenous segregation, violent uprisings, and the institutionalization of exploitative fiscal and labor systems. The enduring legacies from their rule remain visible today, in the form of subnational authoritarian enclaves, localized cycles of violence, and marginalized indigenous communities, which have reinforced and deepened regional inequalities. By integrating perspectives from history, political science, and economics, Venal Origins provides a nuanced and empirically grounded analysis of how colonial officials shaped-and still influence-subnational development in Spanish America.

Product details

Binding:: Paperback
Number of Pages:: 288
Release Date:: 2025-10-02
Publication Date:: 2025-08-26
Publisher:: Cambridge University Press
Languages:: Original: English
ISBN10:: 1009635123
ISBN13:: 9781009635127
Weight:: 471 g
Height:: 152 cm
Width:: 229 cm
Thickness:: 17 cm

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