The Limits of Racial Domination: Plebeian Society in Colonial Mexico City, 1660–1720 (Writing)

In this distinguished contribution to Latin American colonial history, Douglas Cope draws upon a wide variety of sources—including Inquisition and court cases, notarial records and parish registers—to challenge the traditional view of castas (members of the caste system created by Spanish overlords) as rootless, alienated, and dominated by a desire to improve their racial status. On the contrary, the castas, Cope shows, were neither passive nor ruled by feelings of racial inferiority; indeed, they often modified or even rejected elite racial ideology. Castas also sought ways to manipulate their social "superiors" through astute use of the legal system. Cope shows that social control by the Spaniards rested less on institutions than on patron-client networks linking individual patricians and plebeians, which enabled the elite class to co-opt the more successful castas. The book concludes with the most thorough account yet published of the Mexico City riot of 1692. This account illuminates both the shortcomings and strengths of the patron-client system. Spurred by a corn shortage and subsequent famine, a plebeian mob laid waste much of the central city. Cope demonstrates that the political situation was not substantially altered, however; the patronage system continued to control employment and plebeians were largely left to bargain and adapt, as before. A revealing look at the economic lives of the urban poor in the colonial era, The Limits of Racial Domination examines a period in which critical social changes were occurring. The book should interest historians and ethnohistorians alike.

     In this distinguished contribution to Latin American colonial history, Douglas Cope draws upon a wide variety of sources—including Inquisition and court cases, notarial records and parish registers—to challenge the traditional view of castas (members of the caste system created by Spanish overlords) as rootless, alienated, and dominated by a desire to improve their racial status.  On the contrary, the castas, Cope shows, were neither passive nor ruled by feelings of racial inferiority; indeed, they often modified or even rejected elite racial ideology.  Castas also sought ways to manipulate their social "superiors" through astute use of the legal system.  Cope shows that social control by the Spaniards rested less on institutions than on patron-client networks linking individual patricians and plebeians, which enabled the elite class to co-opt the more successful castas.
     The book concludes with the most thorough account yet published of the Mexico City riot of 1692.  This account illuminates both the shortcomings and strengths of the patron-client system.  Spurred by a corn shortage and subsequent famine, a plebeian mob laid waste much of the central city.  Cope demonstrates that the political situation was not substantially altered, however; the patronage system continued to control employment and plebeians were largely left to bargain and adapt, as before.
     A revealing look at the economic lives of the urban poor in the colonial era, The Limits of Racial Domination examines a period in which critical social changes were occurring.  The book should interest historians and ethnohistorians alike.

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Examines how the social class structure in colonial Mexico was much more complex then simple racial divisions between natives and Spanish. Mexico City is chosen as the exemplar because as capital of New Spain it was the most racially diverse population and because it provides a great fertility of sources, which include Inquisition and criminal cases, notarial records, civil and ecclesiastical documents, and parish registers for even the lower classes after about 1660. Paper edition (unseen), $17.95. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

     In this distinguished contribution to Latin American colonial history, Douglas Cope draws upon a wide variety of sources—including Inquisition and court cases, notarial records and parish registers—to challenge the traditional view of castas (members of the caste system created by Spanish overlords) as rootless, alienated, and dominated by a desire to improve their racial status.  On the contrary, the castas, Cope shows, were neither passive nor ruled by feelings of racial inferiority; indeed, they often modified or even rejected elite racial ideology.  Castas also sought ways to manipulate their social "superiors" through astute use of the legal system.  Cope shows that social control by the Spaniards rested less on institutions than on patron-client networks linking individual patricians and plebeians, which enabled the elite class to co-opt the more successful castas.
     The book concludes with the most thorough account yet published of the Mexico City riot of 1692.  This account illuminates both the shortcomings and strengths of the patron-client system.  Spurred by a corn shortage and subsequent famine, a plebeian mob laid waste much of the central city.  Cope demonstrates that the political situation was not substantially altered, however; the patronage system continued to control employment and plebeians were largely left to bargain and adapt, as before.
     A revealing look at the economic lives of the urban poor in the colonial era, The Limits of Racial Domination examines a period in which critical social changes were occurring.  The book should interest historians and ethnohistorians alike.

Contents ......Page 8 Figures ......Page 10 Tables ......Page 12 Acknowledgments ......Page 14 Introduction ......Page 18 1. Race and Class in Colonial Mexico City, 1521-1660......Page 24 2. Life among the Urban Poor: Material Culture and Plebian Society......Page 42 3. The Significance and Ambiguities of "Race"......Page 64 4. Plebian Race Relations......Page 83 5. Patrons and Plebians: Labor as a System of Social Control......Page 101 6. The Fragility of "Success": Upwardly Mobile Castas in Mexico City......Page 121 7. The Riot of 1692......Page 140 Conclusion ......Page 176 Appendix: List of Casta and Indian Wills ......Page 184 Notes ......Page 186 Selected Bibliography ......Page 216 Index ......Page 226 in this distinguished contribution to Latin American colonial history, Cope draws upon a wide variety of sources to challenge the traditional view of castas as rootless, alienated, and dominated by a desire to improve their racial status. A revealing look at the economic lives of the urban poor in the colonial era, this book examines a period in which critical social changes were occurring. Challenges the traditional view of castas (members of the caste system created by Spanish overlords) as alienated and dominated by a desire to improve their status. This text argues that instead, social control by the Spanish rested on patron-client networks.