Latin American Labor System Analysis

During the time period of 1750 to 1900, the evolution of labor systems in Latin America and the Caribbean’s, changed in regards to the nature of the labor system, but remained the same when it came to the group of individuals, of whom partook in this labor system, and their place in society. In the beginning of this time period, slavery thrived in Latin Americas and the Caribbean’s, specifically on plantations, examples include in cotton and sugar fields. in Brazil and Haiti. The individuals that partook in this slave trade, also referred to as the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, would be the captured Africans. Their role in the trade network, and as people never changed. Africans and other minority groups remained systematically oppressed by their

These were wealthy Europeans of whom owned estates used for the productions of materials; the laborers worked on a debt peonage system. This can be compared to the feudal system in Europe; where peasants or in this case natives/ slaves were tied to the land and worked in order to pay off debt. This labor system, as well as wage labor lived on, but eventually some of the lower-class citizens/ slaves/ indentured servants fought for an economic reform. They wanted to break free of their oppression and unfair system. “The American provinces are fighting for their freedom, and they will ultimately succeed. Some provinces as a matter of course will form federal and some central republics; the larger areas will inevitably establish monarchies, some of which will fare so badly that they will disintegrate in either present or future revolutions.” (Simon Bolivar’s Jamaica Letter (1815). Simon Bolivar was a Venezuelan military and political leader who liberated Latin America from Spanish control. In the quote, it illustrates the fight that the Colonies put up against the Europeans in order to ascertain their freedom. There were other revolutions too, such of the Haitian Revolution that inspired other nations to gain heir liberation. According to information found in the textbook Voyages in World History, the Haitians rebelled against the French in order to end their enslavement. Thus, showing that

The minorities were always taken advantage of; while the European colonist remained on the top of the social, economic and political class. The colonial American class system is an example of this; on top were the Pennisulares born on the Iberian Peninsula. They held all of the power in the government, church and just overall. Under this social class system, were the Creoles, Mestizos, Mulattoes and Africans. They held little to no power, which is why when slavery did end in 1807, it continued illegally because the Europeans did not care about the wellbeing of the minorities. The end of slavery did not end the big economic gap between the two groups; even considering the fact that the minorities made up most of the population. For example, according to an article written by Pieter C. Emmer, from the University of Leiden, entitled The Big Disappointment. The economic consequences of the abolition of slavery in the Caribbean, 1833–1888,” the ex-slaves did not become yeomen farmers nor did they improve their income and status as free plantation workers as many had hoped.” In other words, the end of the slavery did not insinuate the end of oppression for people in the Caribbean’s, as well as Latin