Open Access available at: https://www.iberoamericana-vervuert.es/Libros/241679.pdf

This work re-examines the early writings of Bartolomé de las Casas (1515–1521) through the lens of colonial biopolitics, challenging traditional humanitarian interpretations. It explores his engagement with political economy, governance, and his concerns regarding life and the depopulation of La Española and the Greater Antilles. The book argues that Las Casas introduced an early biopolitical paradigm, framing human life as a resource subject to political economy, calculation, and governance. Yet, his efforts to balance the preservation of life with the demands of colonial exploitation were ultimately undermined by the inherent contradictions of colonial modernity.