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Encomienda System

Definition

The encomienda system was a labor system in Spanish America and the Philippines where the Spanish crown granted colonists authority over a specified number of natives, who were required to pay tribute or provide labor.

Analogy

Think of the encomienda system like a school project where one student is given control over others. They're responsible for managing the group but can also take advantage of their position to make others do all the work.

Related terms

Repartimiento System: A colonial forced labor system imposed upon the indigenous population of Spanish America and the Philippines; it replaced encomienda.

Hacienda System: A landholding system used in Spanish America which allowed owners to use native laborers on their estates in exchange for providing protection and Christianity.

Colonialism: The policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically; underpins systems like encomienda.