The category of personal service and mining in José de Acosta’s De Procuranda Indorum Salute (1588)

Abstract

This article explores the political-theological thought of José de Acosta (1540-1600) regarding indigenous labor in his work De Procuranda Indorum Salute (1588), analyzing its relationship with mining exploitation and the evangelizing mission in colonial America. It highlights how Acosta, although critical of abuses, justified paid forced labor in mining, agriculture, and domestic services as a tool of discipline necessary for conversion to Christianity and the formation of a colonial society. His providentialist vision considered mining crucial for the continuity of the apostolic mission and for disciplining indigenous peoples, preparing their bodies and minds to receive the Gospel. The article argues that Acosta thinks in real-time about the radical transformations he witnesses, revealing connections between colonial modernity, the origins of capitalism, and the evangelizing mission, where economic exploitation and the salvation of souls were intertwined.