The Promised Freedom Patronage and the Final Years of Coartacion

Abstract

An essential aspect of the process of abolishing slavery in Cuba was the need for the state to impose its will on the private master-slave sphere. The mechanism of self-purchase from slavery through coartaciones and municipal banks that functioned as mutual savings banks was invented by Manuel Castellanos y Mojarrieta of Cuba.¹ There were other abolitionist projects too, based on coartación and the system of lotteries.² More importantly, juntas destined to oversee the emancipation of slaves were created across the island.