W ZMIERZCHAJĄCYM OGRODZIE. UTOPIA I PRAKTYKA SPOŁECZNA VASCO DE QUIROGI W NOWYM ŚWIECIE
IN THE DARKENING GARDEN. UTOPIA AND SOCIAL PRACTICE OF VASCO DE QUIROGA IN THE NEW WORLD

Summary/Abstract: The article concerns the activities of Vasco de Quiroga (1470–1565), a social reformer who, in the reality of the Spanish colonial expansion in the New World, made a pioneering, successful attempt to establish autonomous republics of indigenous peoples. With regard to his initiatives, commentators expressed both recognition and disapproval. We are convinced that the divergence between these assessments was often due to insufficient account of the socio-historical context of the groundbreaking work of the Spanish reformer. In order to make a fair assessment of it, we present the social and political determinants of Quiroga’s actions, and on the basis of the findings we engage in a polemic with the critical appraisals of his accomplishments.

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