The Implementation of the Civil Registry in Curicó

Abstract

During the administration of Domingo Santa María, the legislation establishing the Civil Registry of Chile was enacted, marking the initial strides towards implementing this novel state service. Despite its 140-year existence, unlike other nations, this institution remains largely unexplored in national historiography, with its origins often narrowly associated with religious matters. This article aims to scrutinize the documentation from the inception of a specific office, namely the one situated in Curicó, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding its establishment and the challenges it confronted.

Employing methodological tools inherent to microhistory and a localized perspective, we were able to pinpoint elements within this city directly linked to the expansion of public administration and the State authorities' vision of their mission at the close of the 19th century, transcending doctrinal triggers. Consequently, we assert that to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Civil Registry and the underlying motivations for its establishment, it is imperative to broaden the conceptual framework guiding its study.