The Representation of the Hacendados
Encyclopedia
The Representation of the Landowners is an 1809 economic report written by Mariano Moreno
that described the economy of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
. It was written by Moreno on behalf of the Hacendados (owners of Hacienda
s), to request the then viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros
to reconsider the annulment of free trade
he had decided on a short time earlier. It is considered the most complete economic overview from the times of the colony.
. But commerce with Spain was scarce: other ports took priority, Spain was at war, and Spanish ships were attacked by pirates. To get the products needed, Buenos Aires
smuggled them from the British and the Portuguese colonies, despite the laws forbidding it. This led to the creation of two main antagonist groups: hacendados that manufactured leather products and wanted free trade to be able to sell their productions, and retailers that sold the smugled products. The later oppose free trade because if it was allowed then they would have to sell them at lower prices.
In economic terms, given the difficulties and costs of trade with Spain, Cisneros accepted the proposal of Mariano Moreno
and established on November 6, 1809 the free trade
agreements with other powers. The main beneficiaries were Britain and livestock sectors, exporting hides. However, traders who profited from smuggling asked Cisneros to set aside free trade, which he agreed to do in order to keep their support. This led in turn to the British, Mac Kinnon and Captain Doyle as representatives, to demand a review of the measure, invoking the character of allies against Napoleon in Spain and Britain. Most Hacendados (owners of Hacienda
s) also desired the measure to be reviewed, and due to their little political strength they requested the lawyer Mariano Moreno
to petition to the viceroy in their behalf.
taxes over the clothes that may harm the industries as Cochabamba.
Moreno employed sarcasm frequently to justify his ideas. For example, a part of the document says:
. On the contrary, revisionists authors would condemn it, as a tool to promote foreign intervention in the local economy. Both approaches would become outdated later. It is now known that Mariano Moreno did not write the Representation out of his own initiative, but as a lawyer representing a client. Even the authorship by Moreno is now disputed: Paul Groussac
noted that Mariano Moreno did not have instruction as economist, whereas Manuel Belgrano
had more deep studies in the topic and had written an essay he intended to give to the viceroy. This, as well as an influence from the physiocratic doctrine and some grammar inflexions similar to those of Belgrano, suggest that he may be the author, or that Moreno worked over a work started by Belgrano. Belgrano wouldn't had been able to present the report himself because of having a public office in the Consulate, and his past opposition to Cisneros may risk the project from being denied for political reasons.
Mariano Moreno
Mariano Moreno was an Argentine lawyer, journalist, and politician. He played a decisive role in the Primera Junta, the first national government of Argentina, created after the May Revolution....
that described the economy of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, , was the last and most short-lived Viceroyalty of the Spanish Empire in America.The Viceroyalty was established in 1776 out of several former Viceroyalty of Perú dependencies that mainly extended over the Río de la Plata basin, roughly the present day...
. It was written by Moreno on behalf of the Hacendados (owners of Hacienda
Hacienda
Hacienda is a Spanish word for an estate. Some haciendas were plantations, mines, or even business factories. Many haciendas combined these productive activities...
s), to request the then viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros
Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros
Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros de la Torre was a Spanish naval officer born in Cartagena. He took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent and the Battle of Trafalgar, and in the Spanish resistance against Napoleon's invasion in 1808. He was later appointed Viceroy of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la...
to reconsider the annulment of free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
he had decided on a short time earlier. It is considered the most complete economic overview from the times of the colony.
Context
The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, according to the laws of Indias, was only allowed to trade with their metropoli, SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. But commerce with Spain was scarce: other ports took priority, Spain was at war, and Spanish ships were attacked by pirates. To get the products needed, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
smuggled them from the British and the Portuguese colonies, despite the laws forbidding it. This led to the creation of two main antagonist groups: hacendados that manufactured leather products and wanted free trade to be able to sell their productions, and retailers that sold the smugled products. The later oppose free trade because if it was allowed then they would have to sell them at lower prices.
In economic terms, given the difficulties and costs of trade with Spain, Cisneros accepted the proposal of Mariano Moreno
Mariano Moreno
Mariano Moreno was an Argentine lawyer, journalist, and politician. He played a decisive role in the Primera Junta, the first national government of Argentina, created after the May Revolution....
and established on November 6, 1809 the free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
agreements with other powers. The main beneficiaries were Britain and livestock sectors, exporting hides. However, traders who profited from smuggling asked Cisneros to set aside free trade, which he agreed to do in order to keep their support. This led in turn to the British, Mac Kinnon and Captain Doyle as representatives, to demand a review of the measure, invoking the character of allies against Napoleon in Spain and Britain. Most Hacendados (owners of Hacienda
Hacienda
Hacienda is a Spanish word for an estate. Some haciendas were plantations, mines, or even business factories. Many haciendas combined these productive activities...
s) also desired the measure to be reviewed, and due to their little political strength they requested the lawyer Mariano Moreno
Mariano Moreno
Mariano Moreno was an Argentine lawyer, journalist, and politician. He played a decisive role in the Primera Junta, the first national government of Argentina, created after the May Revolution....
to petition to the viceroy in their behalf.
Description
The document was, according to modern historians, the most complete economic overview from the times of the colony. Moreno formulated strong critics to the colonial economic system, with strong influences of the economic philosophers of the time. The main idea was that free trade with Britain should be allowed. However, "free trade" should be understood as relaxing the rigid Spanish rules towards international commerce. It proposed that commerce should be allowed for certain products, but still keeping protectionistProtectionism
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow "fair competition" between imports and goods and services produced domestically.This...
taxes over the clothes that may harm the industries as Cochabamba.
Moreno employed sarcasm frequently to justify his ideas. For example, a part of the document says:
Historical perspective
The Representation is one of the axis around the historiographic disputes about Mariano Moreno. Ricardo Levene, with liberal ideas, described it with unusual praisings and thought it as a direct antecedent of the May RevolutionMay Revolution
The May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish colony that included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay...
. On the contrary, revisionists authors would condemn it, as a tool to promote foreign intervention in the local economy. Both approaches would become outdated later. It is now known that Mariano Moreno did not write the Representation out of his own initiative, but as a lawyer representing a client. Even the authorship by Moreno is now disputed: Paul Groussac
Paul Groussac
Paul-François Groussac was a French-born Argentine writer, literary critic, historian, and librarian. He was born in Toulouse to Catherine Deval and Pierre Groussac, the scion of an old Languedocian family.-Biography:...
noted that Mariano Moreno did not have instruction as economist, whereas Manuel Belgrano
Manuel Belgrano
Manuel José Joaquín del Corazón de Jesús Belgrano , usually referred to as Manuel Belgrano, was an Argentine economist, lawyer, politician, and military leader. He took part in the Argentine Wars of Independence and created the Flag of Argentina...
had more deep studies in the topic and had written an essay he intended to give to the viceroy. This, as well as an influence from the physiocratic doctrine and some grammar inflexions similar to those of Belgrano, suggest that he may be the author, or that Moreno worked over a work started by Belgrano. Belgrano wouldn't had been able to present the report himself because of having a public office in the Consulate, and his past opposition to Cisneros may risk the project from being denied for political reasons.