The independence movements of Spanish America in the early nineteenth century constitute one of the main junctures in Latin American history. Not only did they put an end to Spanish colonialism in mainland America, they created the modern countries stretching from Mexico in the north to Chile and Argentina in the south. Spanish American Independence Movements sheds light on the complicated period from 1780-81, when Peru was rocked by Túpac Amaru’s revolt, through 1826, when independence fighters defeated the last Spanish forces in mainland America. Author Wim Klooster offers a rich and wide-ranging introduction to the period and provides primary documents—most appearing in English for the first time—that reveal not just the arguments and struggles of the rebels but also of those who remained loyal to Spain.

Between 1808 and 1826, all of mainland Latin America became independent from Spain and Portugal, the colonial powers that had ruled the region for three centuries. Undesirable economic restrictions and a caste system that favored those born in Europe made the conditions for revolution ripe in the Americas. Combined with the actions of insightful leaders-most notably Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin-Latin American independence was all but guaranteed. This title explores the revolutions, their historical causes, and the new nations' ensuing struggles, providing invaluable context for understanding the culture, politics, and social identity of the region today."

This book provides a new interpretation of Spanish American independence, emphasising political processes.

In this comparative-historical analysis of Spanish America, Mahoney offers a new theory of colonialism and postcolonial development. He explores why certain kinds of societies are subject to certain kinds of colonialism and why these forms of colonialism give rise to countries with differing levels of economic prosperity and social well-being. Mahoney contends that differences in the extent of colonialism are best explained by the potentially evolving fit between the institutions of the colonizing nation and those of the colonized society. Moreover, he shows how institutions forged under colonialism bring countries to relative levels of development that may prove remarkably enduring in the postcolonial period. The argument is sure to stir discussion and debate, both among experts on Spanish America who believe that development is not tightly bound by the colonial past, and among scholars of colonialism who suggest that the institutional identity of the colonizing nation is of little consequence.