The Venal Origins of Development in Spanish America

Jenny Guardado (Georgetown University, Washington DC)

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Hardback

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English

Cambridge University Press
02 October 2025

Comparative politics; Public administration; Political economy; Economic history

Series: Cambridge Studies in Economics, Choice, and Society

Venal Origins is a comparative and historical study of the roots of spatial inequalities in Spanish America. The book focuses on the Spanish colonial administration and the 18th-century practice of office-selling-where colonial positions were exchanged for money-to analyze its lasting impact on local governance, regional disparities, and economic development. Drawing on three centuries of rich archival and administrative data, it demonstrates how office-selling exacerbated venality and profit-seeking behaviors among colonial officials, fostering indigenous segregation, violent uprisings, and the institutionalization of exploitative fiscal and labor systems. The enduring legacies from their rule remain visible today, in the form of subnational authoritarian enclaves, localized cycles of violence, and marginalized indigenous communities, which have reinforced and deepened regional inequalities. By integrating perspectives from history, political science, and economics, Venal Origins provides a nuanced and empirically grounded analysis of how colonial officials shaped-and still influence-subnational development in Spanish America.

By: Jenny Guardado (Georgetown University Washington DC)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Weight: 530g
ISBN: 9781009635158
ISBN 10: 1009635158
Series: Cambridge Studies in Economics, Choice, and Society
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 02 October 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

1. Introduction; 2. The 18th Century 'Market' of Offices; 3. Why Sell Offices?; 4. Office-Selling-Turned-Venality; 5. Captured Administration: 18th Century Audiencias and Corregidores; 6. To Flee or to Fight: Indigenous Responses to Venality; 7. Colonial Venality and 19th Century State-Building; 8. Conclusion: Corregimientos and Alcaldias in Spanish America Today; Epilogue.

Jenny Guardado is an Assistant Professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Her research, featured in top academic journals, has received the Pi Sigma Alpha and Oliver E. Williamson awards. She previously served as a postdoctoral scholar at the Harris School of Public Policy.