Economic and social formation of a Chilean coastal territory during the 19th century: the property in San Antonio and its hinterland

Abstract

Through the theme and concept of economic and social formation, this article studies the evolution during the 19th century of an important coastal territory of central Chile, relatively abandoned by historiography: the port of San Antonio and its immediate territory. The current relevance of this port with respect to the economy of the entire country has quite recent origins, and it is only from the first years of the 20th century, in a slow process, that this territory begins to develop strongly, acquiring its preponderance current. However, this development is determined by a previous period, an export boom based on cereal production, which characterized the transformation of this territory and its ports during the second half of the nineteenth century, especially in the last third of that century. century.The formation and slow transformation of this territory will be reconstructed from the analysis in two senses. At first, from a general observation point, through the reconstruction of the evolution of the property structure, in the territory that surrounded the modest port complex, through the analysis of census and agricultural data. Secondly, we will go into the information that gives an account of the export boom, which energized all this territory around 1870, especially considering the development of the "New Port" in connection with the establishment of a modern commercial society, which brought together important merchants and landowners.