Factors that contributed to the permanent division of Spanish American societies into a small privileged elite and impoverished masses include

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

All of these factors contributed to the permanent division of Spanish American societies into a small privileged elite and impoverished masses. The depressions that ruined smaller Spanish landowners allowed larger landowners and wealthy elites to consolidate their power and wealth. The persuasion of newly Christianized Indians to cede much of their land to the Church also contributed to the concentration of land ownership in the hands of the elite. Increasing control of royal officials and their associates over the native population allowed them to extract resources and labor from the impoverished masses. The decline of the hidalgo class, who were a lesser aristocracy, further undermined the social mobility of the masses and concentrated power in the hands of the elite.

Factors That Contributed to the Permanent Division of Spanish American