Aspects démographiques des populations autochtones du Haut-Pérou colonial

Abstract

In this paper the author deals with Andean aboriginal populations during the 17th and 18th centuries. The main purpose is to introduce new results obtained from the demographic exploitation of nominative lists coming from two other towns, also corresponding to nowadays Bolivia: Palca (near La Paz) and Tomave (South-West from Potosi). These new results together with those already known on Sacaca and Acasio (Chayanta) allow the formulation of several ideas. First, demographic regime was far from homogenous in the Andes. Thus, for instance, life expectancy in Sacaca and Acasio was higher than in Palca and Tomave. Second, demographic conditions worsened during the 18th century and mortality grew rapidly in the last quarter. Fertility fell also and a Malthusian interpretation becomes possible. Land for the aboriginal communities was more scarce and their demographic reproduction changed its parameters.