Week 15

As the mita system slowly declined the increased demand of voluntary and cheap labor rose drastically in demand. The colonials’ demand of getting labor made them increase the average wage of the mitayo workers in order to secure workers for their mills, farms, mines, or plantations. Workers would sometimes enter into contracts with employers that would include not only wages but other items of sustenance and welfare to the individual working for the Spaniard. For example, if the worker ending up getting ill, the employer would use his resources in order to help the individual worker get better and be able to get back to work sooner (145).

This new system did not just benefit the natives due to the ability to have a better contract and increased wages; it also enabled the Spanish to be able to extend contracts of the workers. Many Spaniard employers’ would try to keep the worker on for a longer work period than stated in the contract by getting the individual indebted to them. Things such as the loss of the employers’ livestock, imposed debts, and other items would cause the contract between the two to be extended in order to pay the debts that the worker owed to his or her employer (145-146). By having the workers staying for a longer term period the employers’ could get even more work and energy out of the individual than they would have if the contract had been fulfilled if it was debt free. 

Thus this new system ended up benefiting both  parties because of increased pay and the demand of labor was fulfilled.