Propriety and Permissiveness in Bourbon Mexico

By Sergio Rivera Ayala and Juan Pedro Viqueira Alban

Book Overview

The eighteenth century in New Spain witnessed major changes: among these, one of the most significant was the adoption of French customs among the upper groups of society in response to the spreading ideas of the Enlightenment. In addition, New Spain's economy and culture were also changing radically. The spread of these French-inspired ideas and customs soon reached the rest of urban society. These new ideas, it has been assumed, brought a relaxation of social customs. But Viqueira Alban takes this assumption, and raises the question: Was it really a period of relaxation of social customs, in this age of 'growth without development?' He discovered that the movement of rural workers and their families to urban centers created a concern within the church and government hierarchy about the threat of disorder, leading to the need for new social restraints. By the end of the eighteenth century, New Spain was characterized by a very rich, agitated, and varied social life. This book explores the history of Mexico City in the eighteenth century, focusing on society, social classes, elite culture and popular culture. Propriety and Permissiveness examines how the elite culture in Mexico City attempted to create more space between themselves and the masses. Their anxiety about their status encouraged laws and practices that enforced social space. Bullfighting, the theater, street diversions, and the game of pelota (called jai-alai in the United States today) are all examined as part of the culture of this period. This new text is ideal for colonial Latin American survey courses, courses on the history of Mexico and Latin American literature, and courses on the popular culture and social history of Latin America.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0842024670
• ISBN13: 9780842024679
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Great look at an interesting era in Mexico

Alban presents a very clear and well written history on a time that is not written on very often in Mexican history. The bourbon reforms in Mexico shaped the culture that would develop Mexico in the post independence period. The reforms outlined here include theater and bullfights which were meant to educate and enlighten. The bourbon monarchs were heavily involved in the enlightenment and wanted to bring these virtues to Mexico. Alban writes very well but the book is complicated so you will want to read it more than once to really appreciate everything that is occurring. Despite that this is well worth the time and really is one of the few books that covers this topic.