Mini-Data on the Social and Economic History of the Atlantic Coast of Columbia

The article traces the economic history of Cartagena, as well as that of Colombia in general. Cartagena's dominant position as a port, as a center of maritime power, & as a large commercial nucleus, equally important in exports as well as imports, has led to the city's great importance in the development & colonization of the interior of Colombia, especially in terms of urban development. The early decline in the indigenous population led to the massive importation of African slaves, leading to the development of a slavery-based society, which, among many other results, had the consequence of devaluing manual labor &, in general, all productive work. The haciendas &, broadly speaking, the entire agricultural & nonagricultural economy benefited the large landowners, which led to a precarious economy, both in rural & urban terms. The situation began to get better only with the collapse of the colonial system, improving very slowly over time. R. Young