Structure and role of governmental systems in the Caribbean

Caribbean Government

The Structure of Spanish Rule in the Caribbean

The history of colonization and the methods of government-from-afar during the expansion of Europe's power into the New World was not as simple and direct an affair as might be believed. Countries like Spain did not simply set up offices and maintain direct home rule through military force, though military force was certainly a part of the overall governing plan. Instead, the colonial powers et up more complex system by which to subdivide the rule of their various colonies, and to make decisions at several different levels with varying spheres of influence and political power in what was truly a decentralized manner. This was not intended to remove the authority over these colonies from the central powers in the European countries, nor was this ultimately the effect of these governments, but colonial governing bodies were definitely not as centralized as domestic governments of the period. Spain's rule in the Caribbean is an excellent example of this fact.

The overarching government body that Spain put into place to handle its affairs in the Caribbean was the Royal and Supreme Council of the Indies, which handled major judicial affairs and was also the major administrative body for the colony, effectively passing down and where necessary carrying out the will of the Spanish crown in the region's colonies and in the region as a whole (Stearns & Langer 2001). This was not the only governmental body that was created by the crown to administer to the needs of its far-flung colonies, however, nor was it even the first. At the time of its creation, however, it was the supreme government body in the Caribbean and took charge of other existing departments (Stearns & Langer 2001).

The Casa de Contratcion had been established for some time before the creation of the Council of the Indies, and was in charge of controlling immigration from Spain and other areas of the world under Spanish control to the Caribbean (Stearns & Langer 2001). The Council of the Indies also had direct oversight over the audiencias that were created in various locations throughout Spain's colonies in the new world (Stearns & Langer 2001). These audiencias consisted of a president, judges, a fiscal officer that controlled the flow of money from and to the crown, as well as other officials, and these bodies of government basically held complete authority over their individual districts, though they themselves were run under the auspices of the Council of the Indies and were thus responsible to the government in Spain, of course (Stearns & Langer 2001).

This system of government, with the many separate offices or audiencias each wielding authority largely in their own way in their own district, yet with each audiencia coordinated in its larger efforts and guiding principles by the Council of the Indies, appears to have been a highly successful government. For better or for worse, the Spanish government managed to maintain dominion over much of the Caribbean and in Central and South America for many centuries, and this system of government administration was in place for much of that time (Stearns & Langer 2001). The degree of autonomy that each audiencia enjoyed made it easy for them to govern both effectively and flexibility, responding to issues and opportunities within their district without the need to check with higher authorities in most regards. This greatly increased the efficacy of the overall governmental structure.