The Representation of the Landowners
| La Representación de los Hacendados | |
|---|---|
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| Created | 1809 |
| Author(s) | Mariano Moreno |
| Purpose | Request free trade in the viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata |
The Representation of the Landowners (Spanish: La Representación de los Hacendados) 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 haciendas), to request 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.
The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, according to the laws of Indias, was only allowed to trade with their metropoli, Spain. 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 smuggled products. The later opposed free trade because if it was allowed then they would have had 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 haciendas) 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.
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