Colonial Innovation System, Sub-Imperial Institutions and the Creole Elite in Nineteenth-Century Cuba

UAM Working Papers in Economic History, nº 01/2011, ISSN: 1885-6888

23 Pages Posted: 12 Dec 2019 Last revised: 28 Jun 2021

Date Written: 2010

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between colonialism and technology transfer via the study of nineteenth century Cuban institutions dedicated to the stimulation of innovative activity, particularly the patent system. Preliminary findings suggest three noteworthy claims. First, during the nineteenth century Cuban Creole elites set up a ‘Colonial Innovation System’ made up of ‘sub-imperial’ institutions autonomously administered in a context where rival Atlantic empires functioned as a ‘shadow’ economic metropolis of Cuba. Second, despite having the same patent laws as metropolitan Spain, Cuban sugar elites obtained practical control and management of the patent sub-institution on the island. Third, this achievement led to an autonomous functioning of the patent system in Cuba that allowed sugar-mill owners to participate actively in the global networks of technological exchange and to generate higher levels of patent activity than in metropolitan Spain.

Keywords: Patents, Sugar Industry, Colonialism, Sub-Imperial Institutions, Technology Transfer

JEL Classification: N46, N76, O31, O34, O38, O54

Suggested Citation

Fernández-de-Pinedo, Nadia and Pretel, David and Sáiz, Patricio, Colonial Innovation System, Sub-Imperial Institutions and the Creole Elite in Nineteenth-Century Cuba (2010). UAM Working Papers in Economic History, nº 01/2011, ISSN: 1885-6888, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3495918 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3495918

Nadia Fernández-de-Pinedo

UAM ( email )

Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales
Departamento de Análisis Económico: Hist Económica
Madrid, 28049
Spain

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.ibcnetwork.org/nadia_fernandez-de-pinedo

David Pretel

El Colegio de Mexico ( email )

Mexico DF 01000
United States

Patricio Sáiz (Contact Author)

Universidad Autónoma de Madrid ( email )

Campus Cantoblanco
Madrid, Madrid 28049
Spain

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