Fronteras, poder político y economía gomífera en el Putumayo-Aguarico: más allá de la marginalidad y el aislamiento, 1845-1900

Objective/Context: The following article explores State formation in the frontier towns of Caquetá in the second half of the 19th century. It is argued that, rather than being an abandoned or isolated space, a particular form of government developed in this region that allowed it to engage with the...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Camilo Mongua Calderón
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Universidad de los Andes 2020-04-01
Series:Historia Crítica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revistas.uniandes.edu.co/doi/full/10.7440/histcrit76.2020.03
Description
Summary:Objective/Context: The following article explores State formation in the frontier towns of Caquetá in the second half of the 19th century. It is argued that, rather than being an abandoned or isolated space, a particular form of government developed in this region that allowed it to engage with the Colombian state. This was vital both for the maintenance of international borders and for the very development of the extractive economies. Originality: The process of state formation in the Amazon is explored through the study of delegative forms of power –characterized by non-state actors exercising state functions— developed throughout the 19th century, which stands in contrast to interpretations centred on the rubber economy as the main factor in the process of incorporating Amazonian frontiers. Methodology: The research is based on the study of primary sources, relying on civil archives and the correspondence of the Capuchin mission. Conclusions: In rainforest and frontier spaces, the State operated under delegative forms of power, which led to unconventional actors appropriating its message of control and domination. This allowed Colombia to maintain its territorial claims, despite its precarious investment and institutional presence.
ISSN:0121-1617
1900-6152