Salvajes, pobres y miserables en Veracruz (1787-1825). Desde la intendencia hasta la independencia: ¿caminos hacia la ciudadanía?

Abstract

In this thesis I develop how Indian used the argument of the cultural inferiority as "savages", the condition of being "poor" and their juridical privilege of "miserable" in the court; and how black descendant people (Slaves, Maroons and militiaman) used the same tool, although, in theory, they couldn't use this privilege. On the other, I explain how the ambiguous Spanish and Mexican discourse of constitutionalism used the above-named argument to suspend the citizenship to these social groups and the consequences in the court. In the first chapter, we develop the historical importance of the discourse of savages, poor and miserable concepts. In the second chapter, we explain the historical development of Veracruz, as a great marginal region, it had been very important to explain a lot of the disputes of the XVIII century. In the third chapter, we explain how the Indian villages of Zongolica, Amatlan and Xicochimalco used the sociology of miserable to legitimate its historical rights over the lands. In the fourth chapter, we explain how the coloured castes (brown and mulattos) used the sociology of miserable to form as a village and owing lands in Tlalixcoyan. This lawsuit became more complex when Indian people, from others jurisdictions, also considered inheritor of the historical rights from the named village. In the fifth chapter, we explain how slaves and maroons also had its own sociology of miserability to get justice and freedom. We have analyzed two different processes by one common denominator, slaves and maroons wanted to achieve in the host of the vice regal society. In the sixth chapter, we analyze how the Indian and black descendant people wanted to keep the older system of colonial protection since the independence war and the constitutionalism process from Cadiz and Veracruz.