Reconceptualizing the Spanish Caribbean in the Long Seventeenth Century: A Review Essay

A significant shift in the historiography of the Spanish Caribbean reveals that Hispaniola's peripheral status within the Spanish empire did not hinder its importance or influence. Juan José Ponce Vázquez's work challenges traditional narratives by demonstrating that contraband trade and local agency flourished despite imperial oversight, with smuggling forming a 'moral economy' that shaped society across all sectors. This study highlights Hispaniola's pivotal role in the Caribbean, including its complex relationship with French colonization, and argues that trends typically associated with the 18th century emerged as early as the late 16th century. Ponce Vázquez's analysis of local elites leveraging imperial weakness to advance their interests further underscores the region's significance in understanding broader colonial dynamics.

Richards, K. (2024). Reconceptualizing the Spanish Caribbean in the Long Seventeenth Century: A Review Essay. The Latin Americanist, 68(2), 297–300. https://doi.org/10.1353/tla.2024.a929910