Madeiran (E)migration (1851-1861). A Study Through Passport Certificates

Abstract

The starting point to obtain a passport in the mid-19th century’s Madeira island is at a regedoria, a local social control administration. The premise – that of recognizing and monopolizing population – follows the political-administrative system in order to control a rising emigration flow since the Modern Era. Therefore, those who intend to leave address to agents of social control to request a passport, exclusively issued by the Civil Governor of Funchal. This article seeks to profile, via a statistical analysis, the (e)migration candidates between 1851 and 1861 in a social-economic perspective of the island itself, unveiling their reasons to leave the archipelago.

Keywords

Passport Certificates; Passport-Granting; Regedorias; Madeiran (E)migration; Legislation.