Artiguism
Artiguism is the set of political, economic and social ideas of José Gervasio Artigas, the main leader of the Oriental Revolution held in the Oriental Province of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, which was a predecessor of the modern Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
Ideas
The Artiguist ideology consisted of political ideas, which were expressed in the Instructions of the Year XIII and the establishment of the League of the Free Peoples. His socioeconomic ideas were expressed in the Regulation of Land, the Provisional Regulations of the Eastern Province for the Promotion of Safety Campaign and its Planters and the Provisional Regulation on Tariffs for the Confederated Provinces of the Banda Oriental del Paraná. Other sources of Artiguist thought are the speech to the Congress in Tres Cruces, the Mercedes Proclamation, General Ordinance Corso and the "Treaty on the Security of Free Trade between England and the Ports of the Banda Oriental del Rio de la Plata" signed between Artigas and Britain in August 1817.Artigas' primary ideals included:
- Independence from the Spanish and Portuguese Empire.
- Formation of a confederation between the former provinces of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.
- Political organization as a republic with separation of the three powers.
- Organization embodied in a written constitution.
- Civil and religious liberty.
- Government focused on the preservation of equality, liberty and the security of citizens.
- An independent capital outside of Buenos Aires.
- Free trade among the provinces of the confederation.
- Freedom of the port of Maldonado and Colonia del Sacramento for all ships.
- Solution to the Countryside Agreement by:
- * Distribution of land to free Negros, free Zambos, natives, poor Criollos, and needy widows with children.
- * Expropriation of the land of emigrants that have not been pardoned for having their old properties and land sold or donated by Montevideo between 1810 and 1815.
- * Reformation of ranching practices.
- * Ban on livestock exports to Brazil.
- * Obligation of landowners to register their workers and the prosecution of those who did not have registration from their employers.