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THE LABOR REGIME OF THE COFFEE REPUBLIC: PEASANTS,

DAY WORKERS AND LABORERS
The expansion of coffee cultivation modified land ownership and the agricultural structure. Some peasants who owned small
plots continued to produce grains, fruits, and other items.
The large landowners gradually took over these plots, since the peasants could not pay the debts owed to them. In this way,
these peasants became day laborers looking for work on farms or estates.
Others became settlers or farm laborers in exchange for a plot of land that the owner gave them for work, in which they could
grow basic grains, which consisted of corn, beans, tomatoes, chili and other legumes that were enough to survive for a
period. short of the year.
Not all small landowners became settlers or laborers. In the central and western areas, this trend was observed, but small
landowners found other mechanisms, such as marriage alliances, to avoid losing their land.
STATE CONTROL OF THE LABOR SYSTEM
Agricultural credit was an important factor for the development of coffee cultivation. However, few coffee growers could
obtain it and, consequently, dedicate themselves to its cultivation. The banks' refusal was based on the economic limitations
during the first five years of cultivation, during which no harvest is harvested.
The coffee elite gradually consolidated and the State adopted policies to protect its members. These actions fostered stability
and increased profits. For this reason, their interests were reflected in the laws and they governed the country until 1931,
when they began to share power with the military. Based on the cultivation of coffee and its benefits in the national economy,
the State issued laws that laid the foundations of the agrarian economy, at the same time they strengthened the army to
maintain public order and enforce the laws.
Judges, mayors and cantonal commissioners played an important role in controlling those who worked on the farms, since
they were appointed by local landowners and municipalities. In 1912, the National Guard was created to counter conflicts
between peasants and landowners. The polarization of interests translated into a high potential for peasant rebellion and the
army's inability to prevent riots. The great influence exerted by the Salvadoran coffee-growing class in the State limited the
political prominence of the subordinate sectors.
THE INDIGO
During the Colonial Period, the country's economy continued to depend on the cultivation of indigo. In the mid-19th century,
synthetic dyes were imported, so the future of this product was uncertain. From then on, coffee cultivation began to be
promoted.
This agricultural activity required a larger area of land, which led to changes in land ownership. As a consequence,
indigenous communities were dispossessed of their lands. With these changes the amount of available labor increased. The
importance of coffee cultivation
THE RESULTS OF THE COFFEE REPUBLIC
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was estimated that one fifth of the country was cultivated with coffee:
Santa Ana, La Libertad and Usulután were the three departments where coffee growing activity had had the greatest
development.
Coffee exports had increased, occupying first place. In this way, the income that the country needed to build roads that linked
the producing areas with the ports of La Libertad and Acajutla was generated.
The railways necessary for the transportation and marketing of grain were introduced, while cultivation created permanent or
temporary jobs.
The State strengthened the army by allocating a good part of the national budget, in response to the frequent conflicts with
Guatemala.
In the health area, mass vaccination campaigns were undertaken.
Although the educational system was deficient, in the main cities the introduction of pipes for drinking water and the
construction of public batteries for its distribution began. Telephone and telegraph, electricity and paving were introduced in
San Salvador.
In the same order, the public debt increased since the national budget was subject to fluctuations in coffee prices and the
State depended on few fiscal revenues, since the richest did not pay taxes, it increased in accordance with grain exports. . By
1900, these had reached 83%.
THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE
At the top of the new social structure were the rich agricultural producers, mainly those who managed to bring together all the
activities related to coffee cultivation: production, processing and export. This allowed them to increase their income and
participate more widely in the country's politics.
Some of its members were immigrants who had been absorbed into the population's wealthy families through marriages or
business alliances.
The day laborers, the peons, the peasants and the settlers made up the lower stratum of Salvadoran society. They were
required to perform high at work in exchange for low salaries. They were made up of two ethnic groups: the ladinos and the
indigenous people. They were differentiated by their customs. For example, the wardrobe; and the indigenous people,
because of their language. In urban areas, middle sectors emerged, thanks to the development of commerce. Others were
professionals, such as doctors, engineers, architects and teachers. At the same time, the craft sector was developing.
In growing cities, processes of spatial segregation imposed on the working population began to develop. It is evident in the
emergence and growth of poor neighborhoods. The costs of tenancy, the shortage of housing, overcrowding and health
problems mainly affected the residents of poor neighborhoods.

SOCIAL STUDIES AND CIVICS 2ND YEAR HIGH SCHOOL

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WORKER ASSOCIATION
One of the most important sectors among the social classes at the beginning of the 20th century is that of the guilds. Its
importance is based on the increase of its members in the cities.
These groups sought their education, among other aspects, to do so, they established night schools and created the Popular
University. They were also concerned about improving their living conditions, which is why they strove to eradicate laziness,
alcoholism and gambling.
One of them: the artisan guild emerged to the extent that the farms were no longer self-sufficient and needed the products of
artisans such as shoemakers, tailors, weavers and others.
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CLIENTELISM
Patronage is a relationship between a person with political power known as a patron and another person known as a client.
The employer has a high social position, power, influence and resources that he uses to protect and benefit his client who,
generally, corresponds to a low social and economic position and seeks to obtain some benefit from this relationship.
When a holder of a political office regulates the granting of benefits obtained by his public function or by contacts related to
his position in exchange for electoral support or favors, it is known as political clientelism.
Patronage leads to corruption and malfeasance. The client's relationship with the boss is not based solely on their interest in
the favors they can receive in exchange for their membership, but is based on the conception that they form, based on their
experience of the functioning of power, and in the expectations they thus develop.
The material and exchange-specific element of clientelism thus has a persistent effect on the social and political expectations
of the participants. Although the relationship between client and employer is based on a “founding favor” through which the
employer provides a service to the client, this is not the most important factor in the constitution of the system, but rather the
set of beliefs, assumptions, styles, skills. , repertoires and habits that the repeated, direct and indirect experience of these
relationships provokes in clients.
NEW COFFEE ECONOMIC ELITE
Coffee growers formed an elite based on wealth and political power, created organizations that protected their interests,
controlled bank credit and commercial systems.
The fortune of some of the farmers had its origin in indigo, others were immigrants who had arrived in the country with the
coffee expansion and in a short time diversified their capital by investing it in crafts and commerce, and they also had the
capacity to grant loans to the State.
Small and medium-sized coffee producers requested changes to the coffee financing system from the Government or the
coffee group. They fought for the creation of a State bank that would lend them money at a much lower interest rate than that
of the usurers.
In 1934, the President of the Republic, General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez founded the Banco Hipotecario to respond
to his requirements. This elite manipulated the processes of political change to maintain stability and economic order, in a
few decades they turned the country into the main exporter in the region, despite having started its coffee production later
than the other countries in the area.
For this elite, the capital city became the ideal place to trade, as the seat of the main government bodies and a select space
for sociability and spiritual enrichment. Social groups that previously cohabited within the same urban space suffered
increasing segregation, according to class.
SANTA ANA THEATER
The Santa Ana area benefited from coffee cultivation. Its elite, like those of the entire country, imitated European culture. An
example of this is its theater. The government, in 1889, created the Santa Ana Development Board that began its activities to
build a theater. In 1890, a competition was held to prepare the plans. Construction began in 1902 and concluded in 1910 and
its functions began until 1933. It was decorated with sculptures and paintings by Italian artists, the floors and ironwork were
imported from Austria, Belgium and Italy. For its inauguration, the Italian opera company Sinibaldi was hired to perform the
opera Rigoletto.
BENEFITED GROUPS
In addition to the coffee growers, the armed institution benefited from the coffee boom. At the beginning of the 20th century,
that institution was one of the best in the region. The rulers were concerned about reinforcing it by establishing compulsory
military service, the Military School was improved and the National Guard was created.
Coffee mills and exporters also obtained better income, since the processing and marketing of the bean had excellent prices
at that time.
The economic boom facilitated investment in other sectors. An example of this was the salary increase for professionals and
academics, who in this way expanded their consumption capacity and contributed to the development of commercial groups.
Warehouses and stores with household products, food, medicines, clothing and footwear proliferated.
Population mobility also improved with the opening of new roads and investment in road infrastructure. Electricity began to be
provided to sectors that did not have it and drinking water projects were increased in the main cities through the community
water canning method.

SOCIAL STUDIES AND CIVICS 2ND YEAR HIGH SCHOOL