Contiendas entre lo criollo y lo extranjero: la comercialización de productos importados para el espacio doméstico en la ciudad de Mérida-Venezuela (1890-1950).

Abstract

The city of Merida (Venezuela) was in partial isolation until entered the 20th century, a fact that did not prevent the privilege of „the foreign‟ over „the creole‟ thing. Since the end of the 19th century, it enjoyed a dynamic import trade that provided the wealthy classes with top-technological products for domestic use. Local magazines and daily newspapers promoted many articles, emphasizing their nature, their brands and their countries of origin. Nevertheless, this eager taste for the foreign generated critiques in the press, so the following work shows how some retailers offered those products to the consumer while thinkers of the time called the attention of the public expressing what they believed the society/country was losing with the passive acceptance of foreign objects.