The Maceo Colony in Costa Rica. A model of cooperativism at the end of the 19th century!?

Abstract

There is a need to deepen in the economic studies on Antonio Maceo, during his stay in Central American countries due to the few works developed in this line of thought. The objective of this article is to analyze Maceo's main economic ideas during his stay in Honduras and Costa Rica, those that gave rise to the foundation of La Mansión and could contribute to the birth of Cuban cooperativism. The theoretical methods used in the present research were: the logical and historical, the analysis and synthesis, as well as the inductive and deductive, and as empirical methods the analysis of the precedent bibliography and original historical documents were used. The searches allowed affirming that Antonio Maceo projected novel economic ideas that would favor the search of resources for the independence of Cuba and the practical application of the economic culture of Cuban emigration, mainly in La Mansión, for the economic, social and juridical achievements that he reached, which could be contributions to the emergence of Cuban cooperativism at the end of the 19th century. It was considered that the study of his economic ideas constitutes a contribution to the analysis of his revolutionary thought. In Honduras, Maceo's economic projections went beyond the internal problems of the country, they extended to the field of international economic relations and in relation to Costa Rica and the establishment of La Mansion. It is shown that these ideas need further research by scholars, as they are a little-known aspect of his thought.