Peruvian and chilena nitrate politics. ¿From the state monopoly to economic freedom? (1873-1884)

Authors

  • Sergio González Miranda Director Ejecutivo del Instituto de Estudios Internacionales (INTE) de la Universidad Arturo Prat

Abstract

The nitrate politics of the Peruvian and Chilean governmentsbetween 1873 and 1884 have been compared as the obverse and reverseof a coin, where the first one would express the state-owned monopoly andthe second one the economic freedom. However, the nitrate managementwould show a third alternative that would have elements in common withboth government politics, based on business freedom would have expectedthe monopoly of this economy. These economic politics are analyzedfrom a regional scale, questioning some concepts deeply-rooted in thenitrate historiography of Peru and Chile. The importance of the issuedcertificates is discussed between 1875 and 1879 by the Peruvian State topurchase the Oficinas and the document of the banks in Lima. It is alsoanalyzed the First Nitrate Combination in 1884 and its significance inthe development of the nitrate cycle.    

Keywords:

economic monopoly, economic freedom, nitrate combinations, regional scale