The Transatlantic Life and Times of Manuel de la Bárcena

While François-Xavier Guerra has argued that the Spanish Monarchy maintained a high degree of political and administrative unity, even as late as 1808, other scholars, notably David Brading, have emphasized the significance of “Creole patriotism.” From a revisionist standpoint, however, the sentiments and ideologies articulated by both Creole and peninsular letrados coalesced into nationalist discourses by the nineteenth century. In other words, “Creole patriotism” did not have exclusively Creole roots, and a number of prominent peninsular figures, such as the cleric Manuel de la Bárcena, put forward a vision of American identity grounded in what generally has been termed “Creole patriotism.” How can we understand these apparent contradictions? This essay will highlight the fluid and transitional nature of nationalism and political identification during independence-era conflicts in New Spain between 1808 and 1823. Furthermore, it will challenge the conventional dichotomies that have carefully distinguished liberators struggling against oppressors and liberals fighting tyranny and despotism and will recover the contingencies of the process of independence.