The Mita System

The purpose of this webpage is to depict the evolution of the Mita System in Latin America. The Mita system was a mandatory public service system established by the Incan Empire, however, it was drastically modified by the Spanish during the Colonization and conquest. The historical essay, infographic chart, and article are used to show changes the Mita system undertook, specifically in the mining sector. It also illustrates the power distribution among groups and the severe conditions many miners faced. These resources show the progression of the Mita system from Inca establishment to current forms of labor in present day Latin America.

The New Mit’a System

Silver Deposits extracted from Cerro Rico

Potosí is a city in South West Bolivia that is known as the heart of the global silver trade and the largest industrial complex in the 1500’s. Potosí is one of the highest cities in the world and located at the bottom of a mountain referred toas the Cerro Rico because it contains an immense amount of silver ore. Potosí was known as the “Pearl of the Spanish Crown” (Gonzales, History of Potosi Bolivia) because its legendary riches lured many Spanish conquistadors. Potoí was the largest silver supplier to Spain in the colonial era resulting in huge global economic changes in the 1500’s. Not only did silver generate an immense amount of wealth for Spaniards but it led to dreadful suffering towards the indigenous people of Potosí. Before Spain conquered Potosí the town enforced an organized structure of labor called the Mit’a system. This was the first form of forced labor developed by the Inca empire for the betterment of the community. While the Incas employed the Mit’a system as a form of tributary labor to prevent slavery, the Spanish utilized it as a forced labor system to maximize silver extraction profits defeating it’s original purpose.

The Mit’a system under Inca rule

The main focus of the Mit’a system, created by the Incas, was the construction of roads and infrastructure throughout the empire. However in 1572 when spanish conquistadors, lead by Francisco de Toledo,arrived they took advantage of the Mit’a and turned it into a violent and forceful labor system (Let’s dive into the Mita System). By the 1700’s, there were about 160,000 spanish colonists living in the city of Potosí. There were 13,500 natives living and forced to work in the new Mit’a system designed by the Spanish (Gonzales, History of Potosi Bolivia). The Spanish used this system as a free form of labor, largely for mining of silver ore. The working conditions in the mines were very dangerous due to natural gases and hydraulic mills used to extract silver. This caused many accidents and barbarous treatment towards the natives (Let’s dive into the Mita System). Men had to work 400-500 meters deep into the side of the mine and women worked at the mouth of the mines (We Eat Mines and the Mines Eat Us). High altitude, pneumonia and frequent cases of mercury poisoning during the extraction process killed many miners (Potosí Silver Mines). The Spaniards had no mercy on the indigenous people and treated them as inferiors because they cared more about the wealth the silver was bringing them. Originally the Mit’a system was put in place to avoid slavery and create an organized community structure, however, there was a big difference between the Mit’a system under the Spanish and under the Incas (Let’s dive into the Mita System). The Spanish turned the organized structure into a tyranny because silver and expansion of their empire was more important than human life. This is significant because it shows that the conquistadors valued a mineral, something non-living, over people. They were using the Mit’a system as a cover up for slavery but it was ultimately the same exact thing. This is important because it lead to a rapid decline in the indigenous people of Potosi in 1600.

After a few years under Spanish rule, Potosí had exported more than 40,000 tons of silver (Potosí Silver Mines). This was tremendous for Spain’s wealth, however, fatal for the population of indigenous people. This number is important because it illustrates the excruciating and immense amount of work the natives were forced to do. For every 10 people going into the mines, 3 returned and eventually 8 million natives died in the colonial period (Potosí Silver Mines). These natives were getting paid close to nothing, faced violence if they refused to work and were referred to as property. This shows how inhumane the Spanish were towards the indigenous people because they believed they were superior. This sense of superiority was a racial issue because the Spanish were unfamiliar with the physical appearance and cultural practices of the Incas, which officially started slave labor in this region of Bolivia. Since slavery lead to a vast amount of death, there was a decline in the working population. Spain’s brute force worked in favor for their economy, however it was so strong and ultimately was killing a civilization as a whole. As the search for silver slowly disappeared, so did the city. The Spanish looked for a cheap way to replace the diminishing population of miners, therefore, they started to import enslaved people from Africa.

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade to Latin America

Spain’s desire for silver sparked the start of the African slave in Potosí, Bolivia. 30,000 enslaved Africans were brought to the city of Potosí and forced to work in the mines (Potosí Silver Mines). This is ironic because originally the Mit’a system was created to form organized labor within the community, while avoiding slavery (Let’s dive into the Mita System). When really, it was used as a way for the Spanish to carry out slavery and bring over more slaves across the Atlantic Ocean. The colonists were just as dehumanizing towards African slaves. Mules were used to push mills, however, after they died would be replaced by these African slaves. Enslaved humans were treated the same way animals were treated. The spanish would force them to work in the mines under dangerous conditions and when they died, their children inherited their debt (Potosí Silver Mines). Just like the indigenous laborers, the African Labor population declined immensely. Whenever a person died, they were replaced by another slave. This shows the Spanish believed they could solve their problem by bringing on more and more slaves. The Spanish did not care about how much destruction they were bringing upon the city because it was not negatively affecting them.

Spain slowly started to lose their power over the city of Potosí. In 1810, a war for independence broke out in Bolivia and the people of Potosí were finally announced their independence in 1825 (Harry Stewart). Potosí started off with at least 200,000 people at conquest and was known as one of the largest cities in the world. At the end of the war, Potosí was left with a population of 9,000 residents and the majority of its silver shipped off to Spain (Harry Stewart). Potosí went from a city filled with riches and silver to one of the poorest cities in Bolivia. About six million people have died from mining Cerro Rico in the colonial period and the city is devastated (Eduardo Galeano). Not only did the silver mining and war of independence kill off many of Potosí’s residents, it dominated the natural environment and the majestic presence it used to bring. The Spanish took the last of the silver back to Europe and robbed the city of its riches (Harry Stewart). The Spanish got away with all the city’s riches, while fully contributed to Potosí’s downfall. This is very significant because it shows the city revolved around its silver and as it declined, so did the native population. However, the Spanish population remained unaffected.

The Spanish and their consumption of silver caused slavery in Potosí, ultimately changing the true meaning behind the Mit’a system created by the Incas. It is ironic because the Mit’a system existed to organize Inca civilization and work against slavery, however, the conquistadors took advantage of that system and turned it into exactly the opposite, forceful slave labor. Potosí is a great example the Spanish being the driving force behind slave labor and the dehumanization of the Incas. The Spanish exploited the bodies of many indigenous people for profit and justified it because of their racial characteristics. Slavery in Bolivia was stimulated by Spain’s desire of wealth and operations in silver. The use of slave labor is not just unique to Potosí, Bolivia. There are many other cases in Latin America were enslaved Africans and natives people are forced to extract raw materials from the earth under forced control and dangerous conditions. This is significant because it shows how Spain placed more value on material goods than actual human life. This was ultimately driven by Spain’s sense of superiority and obsession with wealth and glory.

Evolution of the Mita System

Work Cited

Galeano, Eduardo (. Open veins of Latin America: five centuries of the pillage of a continent. Serpents Tail, 2009.

“History of Potosi Bolivia, Once the Largest City in America. Bolivian History.” BoliviaBella, www.boliviabella.com/history-of-potosi.html.

“Mfcresposantac, Author at Politics/Administration in Colonial Lima.” Politics/Administration in Colonial Lima, coloniallimapolitics.blogs.wm.edu/author/mfcresposantac/.com

Stewart, Harry. “A Brief History of Potosí and Cerro Rico.” Culture Trip, 2 Mar. 2017, theculturetrip.com/south-america/bolivia/articles/a-brief-history-of-potosi-and-cerro-rico/.

Ugc. “Potosí Silver Mines.” Atlas Obscura, Atlas Obscura, 13 Feb. 2011, www.atlasobscura.com/places/potosi-silver-mines.

 

 

 

 

Check out this link to read more about mining and slave labor today in Latin America.

Bio: Evie Gieseman, a Finance major and Graphic Design minor, is a first year at Lehigh University. She was born and raised in Arlington, Virginia where she attended Washington-Lee High School. Evie was a member of the National Honor Society, Girl Up! Club at her high school. Evie learned leadership, communication skills and dedication from her four years on the Washington-Lee Varsity Swim and Dive team, serving as the team captain her Senior year. Currently, Evie is a athlete on Lehigh University’s Division I Swim and Dive team. Evie has also learned public speaking and teamwork skills from working with the Love the Skin You’re In foundation where she helped young woman become role models for outstanding beliefs, attitudes, words and actions.