Formation Of Colonial Economic Structure In Latin American

This paper aims to discuss the formation process of Latin American colonial economic structure and its characteristics of each stage. Three aspects were Mainly discussed in the paper: the economic situation in Latin America before the Spanish "discovered" the Americas, the process for Spain and Portugal establishing the structure of the colony's economy in its colonies , the formation and development of the plantation economy .Firstly, it is the economic situation in Latin America before the Spanish "discovered" the Americas. The existing economic structure is the basis of the colonial economic structure. Befort Spanish "discovered" the America, Indians who are diligent, brave and full of wisdom multiplied in this fertile and beautiful land, with their hands in the development of their agricultural economy, creating long brilliant and unique civilization, gradually forming the three historical civilization of American Indians : the Maya civilization covering the area of Mexico south, Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala, Honduras; the Inca civilization covering the area Extending 3,000 miles from centre of Ecuador to Centre of Chile ; the Aztec civilization in the central and southern region of Mexico today. However, the civilization level and social development is not uniform, but mixed. They still lived a primitive commune life style, mainly depending on agriculture, fishing and hunting.Secondly, Spain and Portugal established different economic structure in their colony . From Latin America's conquest to the 1920s war of independence and the establishment of national states, exactly 300 years, Latin America had been under the rule of Spain and Portugal. In these process, Spain and Portugal make the maximum slavery to the people of Latin America and maximize the exploitation of Latin America's resources. During the process to conquer the America, the Spain and Portugal established different colonial rule system in Latin America . The organizational form of colonial rule and the way of exploitation depended mainly on the social character and the political, economic system of the so. Arriving in Latin America, Spanish colonizers made colonial plunder with endless energy. However, the uncontrolled exploitation was soon limited by royal family's order, so the entrusted warding system began. But entrusted warding system only changed in the operations of some of the wealth to beneficiaries, not changing the target of looting. Spanish colonists looted of the most eye-catching silver in Latin America's economic plunder. In silver production, transportation and trade incentives, Spain has formed a "silver economic circle" based on Latin American colonial origin of the silver . Silver production had a far-reaching impact on economic development in Latin America. First, the silver production is one of the major causes to form dependent economy in Latin America. Second, the silver production is a major drive of large estates rising in Latin America. Differing from the feudal manor in medieval Europe, Spain Latin America's origin, operation, even depression, was full of commercial purpose and profit motive, and was related to the needs of the European market. It was largely involved in the whirlpool of commodity economy.Portuguese colony's economic and social conditions were different from Spanish colonies, so it has its own characteristics. Latin Portuguese colony's economic development is divided into three cycles. The first cycle is "Brazilian rosewood cycle"; The second cycle is "sugar cycle." The third cycle is a "golden cycle." In three cycles, some products, such as Brazil rosewood , sugar,gold and diamond became important income sources to support a huge colonial empire.Finally, another major signal of Latin American colonial economic structure formation is the formation and development of the plantation economy. From the day of the establishment of plantations, it's purpose was for the service of the world market. The birth of the first batch of sugar cane plantations was in the Caribbean islands. However, the sugar cane plantations in the West Indies had only a relatively short period of prosperity. For fertility and the attenuation constant happening, particularly there was a great development in Brazil. From the the end of the 17th century to the 18th century, the British sugar cane plantations developed mainly in the British colony in Latin America. Plantation economy, the slave trade and colonial trade brought huge economic profits to the sovereign state, becoming a powerful impetus to the economic development of Europe.At the same time,it also strengthened the development of colonial economic structure in Latin America.The last part is conclusion. The Conclusion sums up the theme on the basis of the former parts of the article. That is to say, it mainly introduces the forming process and the phase characteristics of colony economic structure in Latin America .