UNM honors assistant professor Celia L¢pez-Ch†vez provided a detailed timeline of the Jesuit economy in San Juan, Argentina, from 1540-1767 for listeners at the Latin American and Iberian Institute Friday.
During her presentation, "Capitalists of the 18th Century: Jesuits, Money and Power in Colonial Latin America," she described her recently-published book about the economic understanding of the Jesuit religious order.
The Spanish titled book translates to, "With the Cross and With the Money: The Jesuits of Colonial San Juan." L¢pez-Ch†vez said she conducted research in her hometown of San Juan.
During her presentation, she discussed the economic philosophy of the Jesuit religious order in Argentina during the 16th century.
She said she based her research on old account archives from San Juan that provided her with economic information about the Jesuits during their establishment in the city.
L¢pez-Ch†vez said the Jesuits became economically successful and built a reputation for being well-educated business people.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
They focused their efforts on financial expansion and the conversion of indigenous people into Jesuits, she said.
After the Pope established the order, it grew rapidly in terms of finances and population and, at one time, it tripled in size within 20 years, she said.
L¢pez-Ch†vez said that through the years the Jesuits of San Juan developed and maintained an economic system based on their production and trade of wine, wheat, brandy and clothing.
She added that their production and economic success came from being a secular order that did not have to pay taxes and the use of paid and slave labor forces.
Based on her research, L¢pez-Ch†vez said that while some workers were paid with both cash and clothing, slave ownership was consistent on Jesuit-owned properties and black slaves were given only clothes.
She emphasized that the numbers of male and female slaves on the properties were kept equal to ensure the partnering of couples and the reproduction of more slaves.
L¢pez-Ch†vez said that the Jesuits established and maintained a solid reputation as intellectuals and efficient entrepreneurs during this time period.
She said that although the group is considered liberal today, it was conservative in the past. L¢pez-Ch†vez said the Jesuits she meets today are open about their ancestors who may have been slave owners.
The Jesuits were expelled from San Juan in 1767 and primarily dispersed to Italy, L¢pez-Ch†vez said.
She is an assistant professor at UNM and teaches courses in the University's General Honors Program about Latin American history and culture.
