According to the jacket, this is José Bravo Ugarte’s eleventh volume in the series, Colección México Heroico. In addition, he has published a four-volume history of Mexico and a wide variety of other studies. Instituciones might be called a lightly-fleshed skeleton. Even so, it is a useful, handy little book. The organization features three major divisions: Hapsburg, Bourbon, and Constitutional (1812-1814 and 1820-1821). Each of these in turn is subdivided on the basis of institutions in Spain and New Spain, with the latter finally further divided between central and regional entities.
The contents comprise principally a series of interesting summaries and tabulations. For example, there is a brief account of the history and makeup of the Recopilación. One may find information about all the viceroys, including chronological lists, those who were promoted to Peru, the names they left on the land, and those who were dismissed from office, with capsule judgments as to the justice or injustice of each case. Information about the audiencias is incorporated, with some account of their changing membership. Under the regional subdivision, Bravo Ugarte provides data on gobernadores, encomiendas, and municipal government. The final sections in this category are concerned with the varying nature of the Interior Provinces command and the problems involved in the coming of the intendancy system.
Each section is introduced by a brief bibliographical commentary. Bravo Ugarte makes no claim to extensive documentary sources, but clearly credits the secondary works from which he has extracted his data, such as Ots Capdequí, Haring, Schafer, Levene, Altamira, Rubio Mañé, Priestley, and Alamán.
Clearly this is not an original work, nor is it a profound new interpretation. But it is an extremely useful summary which many of us will be pleased to have available for a quick and ready reference on a multitude of points involving the Spanish system in New Spain.
