Time of Liberty. Popular Political Culture in Oaxaca, 1750-1850

412 Pages·2005·2.205 MB·English

by  Peter Guardino

the time of liberty
A book in the series
latin america otherwise
Languages, Empires, Nations
series editors
Walter D. Mignolo, Duke University
Irene Silverblatt, Duke University
Sonia Saldívar-Hull, University of Texas, San Antonio
Mexico underwent extraordinary changes as it fought Spain to become an
independent nation, yet we know relatively little about how subaltern peoples
experienced and responded to independence. Writing with a double focus on the
urban, mestizo population of the city of Oaxaca and on the largely native and rural
population of Villa Alta, Peter Guardino explores how urban mestizos and
indigenous peasants responded to and engaged in the emerging political world of
nineteenth-century nationalism. Mining a rich array of sources, Guardino provides
a fine-grained picture of these momentous years.
Bringing together social sectors—urban and rural, indigenous and mestizo—
Guardino is able to challenge long-standing assumptions about subaltern politics
and the broader contests shaping the early years of Mexico’s independence. We
learn about peasant activism, when previous histories told us it didn’t exist; and we
learn about complex adaptations and maneuvers by subaltern peoples, when
previous histories spoke of simple responses. With great theoretical sophistication
and sensitivity to the dynamics of ideologies and power, Guardino has presented
an ‘‘otherwise’’ narrative of popular political culture and its consequences in these
extraordinary times.
Liberty
the time of
+
Popular Political Culture in Oaxaca, 1750–1850
peter guardino
Duke University Press durham and london 2005
for Jane Walter
∫ 2005 Duke University Press
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper $
Typeset in Carter and Cone Galliard by Keystone Typesetting, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data appear
on the last printed page of this book.
contents
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction 1
one Society, Economy, and Politics in Colonial Antequera 19
two Society, Economy, and Political Culture in Colonial
Villa Alta 40
three Bourbon Intentions and Subaltern Responses 91
four Loyalty, Liberalism, War, and Independence 122
five Oil and Vinegar: The Construction and Dissolution of
Republican Order in the City of Oaxaca 156
six The Reconstruction of Order in the Countryside 223
Conclusion 275
Notes 293
Bibliography 369
Index 395

acknowledgments
Although researching and writing a work of history can sometimes be a
lonely business, no person really completes such a work alone. This book,
like others of its kind, is the product of a wide variety of institutions
and individuals who supported the research, thinking, and writing that it
represents.
Institutions provided the financial resources that are crucial for such
an endeavor. Much of the research was funded by an Advanced Research
Grant from the Social Sciences Research Council and the American Coun-
cil of Learned Societies. A National Endowment for the Humanities Fel-
lowship allowed me time to complete the bulk of the writing. Indiana
University contributed on di√erent occasions two Summer Faculty Fellow-
ships, two Research Leave Supplements, and a Grant-in-Aid of Research.
Two di√erent research assistants, Timothy Schmitz in Bloomington and
David Carbajal López in Mexico, lent very timely help that allowed me to
profitably use sources I might otherwise have been unable to fully explore.
One of the great pleasures of this project was the opportunity to spend
long periods of time working in Oaxaca, with its exceptionally pleasant
ambiance and superb archives. Thus I am particularly indebted to my friend
and fellow historian of Oaxaca, Jeremy Baskes, who originally suggested
that I locate this project there and provided me with my first knowledge of
key Oaxacan archives.
During my many stays in Oaxaca a number of the region’s historians and
ethnohistorians, including Carlos Sánchez Silva, Maria de los Angeles Ro-
mero Frizzi, Daniela Tra√ano, Francisco José Ruiz Cervantes, Luis Cas-
vii
tañeda Guzmán, and Ronald Spores, have shared their time and knowledge
with me, providing orientation about archives and Oaxacan history. Luis
Castañeda Guzmán graciously allowed me to use his personal archive. These
historians also welcomed me into their seminars and provided great insight
both during their conversations and through their writings. I simply cannot
thank them enough. Three other specialists on Oaxaca, John Chance, Silke
Hensel, and Yanna Yannakakis, also helped me again not only through their
published work but also through various conversations conducted via elec-
tronic mail.
I already mentioned the quality of Oaxacan archives, and many of the his-
torians just mentioned have participated in the continuing task of preserv-
ing and organizing those archives. They and other Oaxacan colleagues have
worked extremely hard for over twenty years, securing funding from private
and public sources as well as spending arduous hours sorting through piles
of neglected documents. Even though they explain to me that there is much
yet to be done, I am simply amazed by what they have already accomplished
in one of the most impoverished regions of what is still a relatively poor
country. Moreover, the service personnel of both Oaxacan archives and
those in Mexico City have often impressed me with the helpful and profes-
sional way they handled my countless requests for more documents. These
people work very hard for little pay, and they are to be commended for their
love of the Mexican cultural patrimony they preserve and protect.
This project benefited from conversations with a variety of colleagues,
often following lectures or papers where I presented preliminary results and
ideas. The institutional context for these lectures and papers was provided
by, in chronological order, the Conference on Latin American History,
Indiana University, the Latin American Studies Association, the University
of Michigan, the University of Chicago, El Colegio de Michoacán, El Cen-
tro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social, La
Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Itztapalapa, El Seminario de Histo-
ria de Oaxaca, the Oaxaca Summer Institute, the University of Florida,
Wo√ord College, El II Congreso Internacional sobre los Procesos de Inde-
pendencia en América Española, La Universidad Veracruzana, La Univer-
sidad Centroamericana, the Boston Area Latin American History Work-
shop, and the University of California at San Diego. I would particularly
like to thank Christon Archer, William Beezley, Karen Caplan, Manuel
Chust, John Coatsworth, Brian Connaughton, Antonio Escobar Ohm-
stede, William French, Nils Jacobsen, Seth Meisel, Juan Ortiz Escamilla,
viii Acknowledgments
Jaime Rodríguez, José Antonio Serrano Ortega, Eric Van Young, and Jose-
fina Zoraida Vázquez.
Many years ago I was lucky enough to attend graduate school with a
group of outstanding people who happened to share an interest in the
popular politics of early-nineteenth-century Latin America at a time when
that interest seemed unusual indeed. I still think of Michael Ducey, Aldo
Lauria Santiago, Charles Walker, and Richard Warren as my closest peers
and friends. From their point of view this may not seem such an honor, as it
means that I pick their brains frequently and repeatedly ask them for favors.
Clearly, though, this book would not be what it is without their support
and insight.
Arlene Díaz, Je√rey Gould, Daniel James, and my other colleagues at
Indiana University deserve a great deal of credit, not only for their encour-
agement and support on the current project, but for making Indiana Uni-
versity such a nurturing climate for research.
Michael Ducey, James Cypher, Je√rey Gould, Florencia Mallon, John
Tutino, Charles Walker, Richard Warren, and Jane Walter read this manu-
script in its entirety. Each had valuable comments and I feel the work has
benefited greatly from their intelligence, experience, and patience.
My children Rose and Walter kept me laughing during the long process.
They made it impossible to think about the book for several hours each day,
helping to preserve their father’s mental health and undoubtedly improving
the final result.
Jane Walter, my wife and life partner, was with me every step along this
long path. Her support was unending, and she was the person who sacri-
ficed the most to keep this project moving forward, especially when she
became a temporary single parent during my long absences on research
trips. Although Jane no longer considers herself to be a historian, she has
also always been a terrific colleague, challenging me both to hone my think-
ing and to communicate more clearly. Words are not enough to thank her
for her contributions to this book.
Although the institutions and individuals above all helped make this
book possible, I alone am responsible for any errors.
Acknowledgments ix