Resumo

ALTABLE, Francisco. That natural tendency of mankind: individualism and utopia in the northwest of New Spain. Tzintzun. Rev. estud. históricos [online]. 2018, n.67, pp.71-101.  Epub 17-Mar-2020. ISSN 2007-963X.

In 1768 and 1769, inspector José de Gálvez traveled to the northwestern pro-vinces of New Spain in order to implement a series of measures aimed at the secularization of the jesuit missions. The sources show a close relationship between the writings of the spanish visitor and the ideas that, at that time, gave heat to the debate on the economic virtues of promoting individual interests and private property. In a few historical texts the relationship between the European economic thought and enlightened policies of Spain during its application to the American colonies.

Palavras-chave : enlightened despotism; individual interest; privatization; secularization.