"This book, with its fine integration of theoretical argument and historical and ethnographic detail, makes the author a major figure in political anthropology and Latin American studies. Throughout the book, he shows a deep and practical understanding of the mechanisms, instrumentalities, and relations of power, which makes him a worthy successor to such figures as Eric Wolf and Joan Vincent." -William Roseberry,New School for Social Research "This superb book presents a radically new perspective on the emergence of the modern state in Latin America. The author has done an amazing job of pulling together obscure historical sources and oral history material in order to tell this story. There has not previously been such a vivid and detailed picture of how patronage relations worked in Latin American economies at the turn of the century, and of the forces that led to their decline in the 1930's." -Jane L. Collins,University of Wisconsin-Madison

• 1. Introduction: tradition, modernity, nation and state 2. State, region and Casta 3. The contradictions of Casta rule 4. Casta contradictions historicized 5. The cultural politics of Casta rule 6. Modernity as emancipation I: the 'partido laboral independiente Amazonense' 7. Modernity as emancipation II: the 'alianza popular revolucionaria Americana' 8. The disintegration of the Casta order 9. Conclusion: modernity at the edge of empire Notes Bibliography Index.

"This book, with its fine integration of theoretical argument and historical and ethnographic detail, makes the author a major figure in political anthropology and Latin American studies. Throughout the book, he shows a deep and practical understanding of the mechanisms, instrumentalities, and relations of power, which makes him a worthy successor to such figures as Eric Wolf and Joan Vincent." -William Roseberry,New School for Social Research "This superb book presents a radically new perspective on the emergence of the modern state in Latin America. The author has done an amazing job of pulling together obscure historical sources and oral history material in order to tell this story. There has not previously been such a vivid and detailed picture of how patronage relations worked in Latin American economies at the turn of the century, and of the forces that led to their decline in the 1930's." -Jane L. Collins,University of Wisconsin-Madison

• 1. Introduction: tradition, modernity, nation and state 2. State, region and Casta 3. The contradictions of Casta rule 4. Casta contradictions historicized 5. The cultural politics of Casta rule 6. Modernity as emancipation I: the 'partido laboral independiente Amazonense' 7. Modernity as emancipation II: the 'alianza popular revolucionaria Americana' 8. The disintegration of the Casta order 9. Conclusion: modernity at the edge of empire Notes Bibliography Index.

"This book, with its fine integration of theoretical argument and historical and ethnographic detail, makes the author a major figure in political anthropology and Latin American studies. Throughout the book, he shows a deep and practical understanding of the mechanisms, instrumentalities, and relations of power, which makes him a worthy successor to such figures as Eric Wolf and Joan Vincent." -William Roseberry,New School for Social Research "This superb book presents a radically new perspective on the emergence of the modern state in Latin America. The author has done an amazing job of pulling together obscure historical sources and oral history material in order to tell this story. There has not previously been such a vivid and detailed picture of how patronage relations worked in Latin American economies at the turn of the century, and of the forces that led to their decline in the 1930's." -Jane L. Collins,University of Wisconsin-Madison

• 1. Introduction: tradition, modernity, nation and state 2. State, region and Casta 3. The contradictions of Casta rule 4. Casta contradictions historicized 5. The cultural politics of Casta rule 6. Modernity as emancipation I: the 'partido laboral independiente Amazonense' 7. Modernity as emancipation II: the 'alianza popular revolucionaria Americana' 8. The disintegration of the Casta order 9. Conclusion: modernity at the edge of empire Notes Bibliography Index.