Brian Hamnett has based his study on archival sources in Seville and Mexico.

Introduction; 1. Oaxaca - environment and trade; 2. The struggle for control of trade; 3. The problem of reform, 1768-1786; 4. Reform and reality - the crisis of the subdelegations in the 1790s; 5. The Gálvez Plan under fire, 1786-1804; 6. Finance, trade and the merchants, 1789-1808; 7. The political crisis of 1808-1821; 8. Conclusion - Oaxaca within the context of Mexican politics; Glossary; Appendices; Bibliography; Maps; Index.