Labour in Latin America during Colonization - Essay Example

The Indians and mestizos also were converted into the religious, political and economic life of the Spanish and their freedom was limited. Latin America was made up of a population of three castes. A group of whites had the power and owned property, another caste of whites controlled political offices and worked as small entrepreneurs while the third caste comprised of free persons of colour who were African slaves and European planters (Meade, 63).

Forced and migrant labour was evident. Labour in Latin America during colonization was in form of slavery or forced labour. The slaves were used in cultivating the vast sugar and cotton plantations owned by the Europeans and mining. According to Meade (62), the crown who ruled the colony prevented the merchants’ access to political office. Taxes and fines were also imposed on them as well as petty restrictions thereby limiting the markets for their produce. This forced them to work in European farms so as to earn a means of living.

The colonial agents who were placed over them were corrupt and inefficient. The slaves were acquired from Africa and traded to work in European colonies which comprised of Latin America. The slaves worked under inhumane conditions which were life-threatening and were not paid any wages. Indians provided labour in haciendas. After the slave revolt in San-Domingue, other states joined in revolts to demand independence. Peasants demanded rights to land and abolition of taxes. Haiti received independence in 1803, Peru and Mexico in 1821 and Brazil in 1822.

After independence, slavery was abolished in Latin America except for Brazil which relied heavily on slavery. During the struggle for independence and World War 1, men left their homes to participate in the battle hence women resumed men duties. Women also performed some chores like sewing, nursing, soldiers and some became spies and managers of household farms (Meade, 74). They were thus absorbed in labour systems as opposed to pre-colonial times where their place was in the kitchen. Even after the abolition of slavery, workers worked in slavery-like conditions.

Indentured servitude or encomiendas became the source of labour after slavery. After independence there was liberalization. Latin Americans were allowed to trade freely in the European markets (Chasteen, 16). This created demand for more labour that saw the entry of more European immigrants to provide labour and this together with the American civil war put pressure on countries like Brazil to abolish slave labour in 1888. In 1871, Brazil passed the law of free birth hence freeing future children from slavery (Rodriguez, 277).

Peasants worked on their own farms and sold produce in local markets. Labourers were also paid wages as opposed to forced labour. Inequalities persisted as the natives and African slaves who had been freed lacked education and skills to perform tasks that were marketable and available in cities therefore they remained in rural areas with low wages. They also lived in poor housing conditions near their places of work. The growth of manufacturing industries saw changes in labour systems (Meade, 175).

There was organized labour and consequently growth of labour movements to fight for class interests. Political movements and communist parties were also formed to protect workers interests.