Why did many Indigenous Colombians become tenants after the land reforms of 1850?

Following the reforms of 1850 in Colombia, many Indigenous people were forced into tenancy because the government abolished the traditional system of communal land ownership.12

While these reforms were framed by radical Liberals under President José Hilario López as a means to grant greater liberty, they effectively removed long-standing institutional safeguards that had protected the poor from exploitation. By dismantling the communal system—which affected approximately one-third of the population—the reforms encouraged a redistribution of land that favored wealthy merchants, professionals, and landowners.12

Stripped of their communal plots and the small degree of independence they had previously enjoyed, Indigenous people were induced to surrender their land. Within a few years, ownership became highly concentrated, and these individuals were relegated to the status of tenants on land that was subsequently repurposed, often for cattle grazing. This shift highlights a fundamental failure of the era's policies, as the reforms ultimately strengthened the position of the elite at the expense of the Indigenous population and other marginalized groups.12