Tradition and Political Economy in the Viceroyalty of New Spain (18th century)

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The legal traditions of the Spanish Empire, which had certain particularities but were always in line with the imperial Catholic culture, played a major role in the development and expansion of the Hispanic world in the Ancien Régime. The converging interests and goals of the Crown, the Church and various groups of individuals were ment to ensure the institutional stability of an immense geoeconomic and cultural space, in which public policies and their implementation were based on the principle of the common good. Throughout the 18th century, beyond the conflicting corporate interests and the great challenges of the time, tradition and reformism influenced one another shaping a political and socioeconomic space, which contributed to strengthening the power and increasing the administrative efficiency of the Hispanic Monarchy. Meanwhile, the two tendencies’ mutual influence boosted the economy in terms of production, finance, trade, and welfare. At the local level, the Hispano-Indian cities and communities had their own administrative and economic resources, and contributed greatly to meeting the financial needs of the Crown, which was often based on negotiation. The Spanish Empire’s fiscal policy and public expenditure, in turn, sought to meet not only defence needs but also those of the government, in addition to promoting Christian education. On balance, the state, the Church and the civil society contributed to the maintenance and development of the Viceroyalty of New Spain.