Die Entstehung des Foderalismus in Mexiko: Die politische Elite Oaxacas zwischen Stadt, Region and Staat, 1786-1835 (review)

This fascinating study deals with the development of Mexican federalism and focuses on the area of Oaxaca from the historic date of 1786—the introduction of the intendencia—to 1835, the end of the first Reforma. The author analyzes the problem historically through the role of the elites of Oaxaca, who were torn between the city (Antequera), the region, and the state.

In the first chapter the author introduces the reader to some basic elements of the Oaxaca region in late colonial times: geography and territorial borders, demographic development, and social structure, as well as the economy, the new institution of the intendencia, and municipal government. This is then followed by the political evolution in the years between 1808 and 1835 and thus covers the reaction in New Spain to the 1808 monarchical crisis in the peninsula, the years of rebel occupation of Oaxaca between 1812 and 1814, the Constitution of Cádiz and the return of royalist absolutism in the period from 1814 to 1821, and finally, the first years of independence, from 1821 to 1835.

The study then delves into the institutional and representational changes in Oaxaca between 1812 and 1825, and thus includes a discussion of the concepts of sovereignty and representation, and of the institutions of the jefe político, the governor, the Diputación Provincial, and congress, as well as the ayuntamientos constitucionales. This is followed by an analysis of the political elites of Oaxaca with membership in the Antequera council, in the Diputación Provincial, and in the congress of Oaxaca, as well as the representatives of Oaxaca at the Cortes of Cádiz and in the federal congress. The author concludes this section with an analysis of the changes within the elites of Oaxaca during this period. The final chapter discusses the formation of the Oaxaca region and thus delves into the concept of region in Mexican historiography and the relationship between Oaxaca and the central government, as well as with its province.

The study includes an impressive series of appendixes regarding professional groups, the intendants of Oaxaca from 1787 to 1820, cochineal production, and the representation of Oaxaca in the federal congress, the Oaxaca congress, and the provincial councils of the area.

This reviewer has only a few comments. The author does not fully analyze the meaning of the intendencia: that is, as a symbol of the French spirit of order that Carlos III imposed on Spanish America as part of the Bourbon reforms in order to correct the many confusing administrative, judicial, and ecclesiastical divisions. However, the introduction of the intendencia turned out to be counterproductive, since it hurt the Spanish Americas. The intendencia contains typically European characteristics meant to establish efficiency—which it did—but which at the same time damaged the political system that the Spanish crown had skillfully established overseas.

The author omits the Scholastic tradition as demonstrated in Francisco Primo de Verdad y Ramos (Aguascalientes), the leader of the revolutionary party. At the meeting of the General Junta, urged by the cabildo of Mexico City (August 9, 1808), Aguascalientes based his arguments for independence on the legislation of the Siete Partidas and the Suarezian Pactum Translationis. This same Hispanic tradition was also expressed by the ecclesiastical leaders of the revolt, Fathers Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and José María Morelos, with the latter's proclamation of the ephemeral Constitution of Apatzingán at a time when the Cortes of Cádiz had been suspended, and at the Congress of Chilpancingo, which again based Mexican emancipation on the Pactum Translationis and called for the return of the Jesuits.

This is a serious, well-developed, and well-documented piece of research and represents a...