How Did The Creoles Change After The French Revolution

Collision of two cultures The Bourbon and Pombaline reforms marked the beginning of a new era for the Spanish and Portuguese monarchies. The Monarchies lost a lot of their political and economic power and were eventually faced with separation from their colonies. After the death of Charles II, the war of succession affected the stability of the Spanish Monarchy. The Peace of Utrecht brought many changes with it. After the Peace of Utrecht, Philip V took the Spanish throne. “The Peace of Utrecht (1712-13) marked the end of Spain’s reign as a major European power, and the Bourbon reforms that followed the war would mark a brief plateau before the beginning of a long economic and political decline that would not end until the late twentieth
century” (Eakin, 151). The Bourbon and Pombaline reforms, in a sense sought to impose social reform and new taxations in an effort to consolidate the economy of the colonies. The monarchies tried to create laws that would respond to the growing economy of the colonies. They understood that the colonies had become important assets and engines to the monarchies economy. By consolidating the colonies economy they were trying to strengthen their own economies. Spain and Portugal were making a collective effort to slow down the decline of their economies and counter the global growth of their rivals- the English, Dutch and French. “The Bourbon and Pombal also moved forcefully to curb the power of the church” (Eakin, 153). They took control over the vast resources previously administered by the church. As much as political, economic and intellectual changes happening in Europe affected the Colonies in the Americas, this was also true all the way around.
Europe was also affected by changes within the colonies. By the mid-1700s, creoles (partially descendants from white colonists) were participating vastly in a number of Royal audiencas in Europe. Nevertheless, the Bourbons kings usually discriminated against the creoles when the imperial appointments were made. Creoles were not always seen as having the same rights as whites with “pure” blood. Creole discontent lay at the heart of the war of independence, and creole unhappiness had grown through the previous century” (Eakin, 158). Another trigger for the war of independence was high taxation. Added to these problems were the revolts happening within the colonies. “Although not direct cause of the wars of independence, serious and racial uprising in the second half of the eighteenth century certainly helped set the stage for the wars of independence across Spanish and Portuguese America” (Eakin, 160). One of the greatest fears of white Europeans was perhaps the fear of race wars and social uprising. These fears came true
somehow.
The challenge to colonialism.
The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries brought many changes for the Latin American Colonies and their monarchies.
The monarchies of Spain and Portugal were not only facing with challenges against other European powers such as the English, French and Dutch; but they were also facing internal revolts inside their colonies. Although the Indian society participated in their own oppression, they also made efforts to respond to the oppression of colonialism. “In 1666, [for example], the Spaniards discovered a plot to cut off Lima set afire, and eliminate the Spanish population” (Spalding, 270). This along with many other attempts of rebellion against Europeans were not very successful, though. The reason for such failure are not quite precise, however, a series of factor can be taken into place. First, Indian society was not very united as a whole. They were always in conflict with one another. Indeed, the only factor that may have led them to organize against the conquistadores was so hatred colonial experience.” The colonial experience gave the natives a ‘common enemy’ it created other groups, and it gave all the members of Andean society an enemy to focus for their frustrations and anger” ( Spalding,279).Second, natives became accustomed to Spanish ways of living. They felt somewhat identified with the Spanish culture. In addition, “well-founded suspicion, bred hesitation and disunity, which in turn hobbled the cooperation and dedication needed to broaden a rebellion that had
to expand or die” (Spalding, 279). Villages were very suspicious of one another. They were constantly thinking that their neighbor villagers were allied with the Spaniards and in conspiracy against them. The Catholic Church also played a crucial role during these revolts. The Catholic Church failed to convince natives that they should submit completely to conquest. However, the catholic faith became almost indispensable to many Indian provinces “to the degree that the members of Andean society accepted the Catholic faith, even if they added it to traditional beliefs and ceremonies rather than replacing them…” (Spalding, 288). Priests were decisive to undermine revolts. In fact, they used their knowledge about the structure of the native communities to defeat them. Priests also used the trust the natives deposited on them to overthrow them. Many times Spanish learnt about revolts thru confessions made to priests. Last but not least, separation of classes also played an important role. “Indians became more and more of a class defined by its opposition to another class that lived from their labor and their poverty” (Spalding, 293). Exploitation of the members of a social class over the other hence became one of the basis of colonization.
In general, the Pombaline and Bourbon reform failed to save the monarchies’ economy. They anger the creoles and generated revolts. Internal revolts within the colonies among races further debilitated the monarchies’ economy. High taxation, reforms and revolts among other causes forced the wars of independence.