Santiago de Chile’s retail trade in the late 18th century

Abstract

The objective of this work is to assess the presence of the retail trading in the city of Santiago de Chile at the end of the 18th century, as an observatory of the insertion of this society in the process of modernization of consumption and, with it, of its living conditions during this period. The methodology consists of adding the formalized commercial segments to the interior of the Santiago urban space through the use of tax sources rescued from the reformed administration of alcabalas in this capital. The results of this examination demonstrate: i) the significant presence of six retail segments that operate regularly and with a clear differentiation of their supply of goods and services, ii) the articulation of this retail with productive sectors, wholesale trade channels and urban artisans through the flow of goods and; iii) the high dispersion of commercial establishments to meet urban demand, in line with the expansion of salaried work in Santiago. Such findings about of part of the structure and functioning of this internal commerce suggest qualifying that notion about the precariousness of the Chilean urban market at the end of the 18th century, especially when comparing this evidence with other contemporary regional economies.