Coffee and Power (1800-1900)
The efforts of Fernández and Carrillo finally provided Costa Rica with its long sought after link to world markets as coffee cultivation led to a flourishing export industry and transformed the weakest economy in Central America into the most prosperous nation in the region. The ‘grano de oro’ or ‘golden bean’, also initiated the development of a new set of social and production relations that would prove fundamental in determining its democratic future; as well as the formation of a new elite class, the cafetaleros, who would come to dominate the political arena until their decline after the Civil War of 1948.
By the mid-19th Century coffee had become very popular in Europe and prices were high. Despite Costa Rica’s access and transportation difficulties the country established its first export line to Chile, for re-export to Europe, in 1830.
Then, in December 1843, Captain Le Lacheur of England arrived, offering to take Costa Rican coffee directly to the UK, and promising to return with payment in pounds sterling. Thus began a flourishing trade with England that provided Costa Rica with a much needed injection of wealth and social progress.
The fact that the country had not really developed any significant agro-export industry earlier proved an advantage, enabling farmers to focus on the coffee crop, and ensuring that large areas of land were available for cultivation. Costa Rica’s climatic conditions, its combination of altitude, plentiful rainfall and volcanic soils also proved ideal for coffee growth.
By 1850 coffee wealth had transformed the previously impoverished and scarcely populated nation into a cosmopolitan, European –influenced society.
Transport, domestic and telecommunications services increased and improved, streetlamps, pavements and taxis appeared, printing presses were established and European ideas were widely read.
The success of the coffee market also prompted the ‘colonization of the coffee frontier’ 8, as coffee cultivation spread from the confines of the Central Valley outwards, establishing the towns of San Ramon (1854) and Grecia (1856) en route, replacing jungle and forest with planted fields, cleared pasture and new settlements. By the end of the century most of the country, with the exception of the Caribbean and Pacific lowlands was given over to coffee cultivation and the ‘golden bean’ accounted for 90% of the export market.
However, while the coffee boom benefited the country as a whole, the privatization and cultivation of previously common, virgin lands, led to the dispossession of the remaining indigenous groups and poor peasantry who were forced further into the wilderness and jungle, and condemned to marginalization, underdevelopment, poverty and neglect, firmly excluded from the new found economic and cultural wealth and dominant social structure.
Then, in December 1843, Captain Le Lacheur of England arrived, offering to take Costa Rican coffee directly to the UK, and promising to return with payment in pounds sterling. Thus began a flourishing trade with England that provided Costa Rica with a much needed injection of wealth and social progress.
The fact that the country had not really developed any significant agro-export industry earlier proved an advantage, enabling farmers to focus on the coffee crop, and ensuring that large areas of land were available for cultivation. Costa Rica’s climatic conditions, its combination of altitude, plentiful rainfall and volcanic soils also proved ideal for coffee growth.
By 1850 coffee wealth had transformed the previously impoverished and scarcely populated nation into a cosmopolitan, European –influenced society.
Transport, domestic and telecommunications services increased and improved, streetlamps, pavements and taxis appeared, printing presses were established and European ideas were widely read.
The success of the coffee market also prompted the ‘colonization of the coffee frontier’ 8, as coffee cultivation spread from the confines of the Central Valley outwards, establishing the towns of San Ramon (1854) and Grecia (1856) en route, replacing jungle and forest with planted fields, cleared pasture and new settlements. By the end of the century most of the country, with the exception of the Caribbean and Pacific lowlands was given over to coffee cultivation and the ‘golden bean’ accounted for 90% of the export market.
However, while the coffee boom benefited the country as a whole, the privatization and cultivation of previously common, virgin lands, led to the dispossession of the remaining indigenous groups and poor peasantry who were forced further into the wilderness and jungle, and condemned to marginalization, underdevelopment, poverty and neglect, firmly excluded from the new found economic and cultural wealth and dominant social structure.
