Destruction of the Indigenous Peoples of Hispano America

The Spanish did not originally intend to harm the Hispanic-American natives. The Spanish Crown, Councils and Church considered the natives free and rational vassals entitled to be embraced by Christianity and by the Hispanic culture. However, at the same time it was the monarchy's decision to exploit the natives as taxpayers and as a reservoir of forced labor. That decision made its rule in America exceptionally destructive. The recruitment of the natives to serve the interests of the Spanish Empire under what can only be considered near to slavery conditions, compounded by systematic annihilation of their cultures as well as by cyclical epidemics, led to the near total eradication of the Indians. This book narrates the story of the Spanish conquest and the widespread violations against the Hispanic-American natives. The author ponders on the question why the Spanish Crown and the Church failed to apply the necessary measures to effectively protect the natives, particularly during the first years of the conquest, when exploitation practices were gradually formed and implemented. The author further enquires how exploitation on this scake was made possible despite a constant flow of reports emphasizing the clear and present danger to the very survival of the natives and the profound debates, led by the most prominent intellectuals of the time, challenging these practices. Based upon primary sources and current research on the relationship between colonialism and genocide, this book examines whether the Spanish actions can be defined as genocidal. What lies at the heart of the issue is whether the wide range of exploitative acts implies ministerial responsibility of the Crown and its Councils in Spain and their agents in America, or whether the destruction of the native population resulted from unplanned and unforeseen circumstances, making it impossible to place the blame on specific persons or institutions--back cover.