Acosta, Tomás (1744–1821)
Acosta, Tomás (1744–1821)
Tomás Acosta (b. 1744; d. 1821), governor of Costa Rica from 1797 to 1810. Born in Cuba, Tomás Acosta is considered one of the most beloved and capable of Costa Rica's colonial governors. As early as 1805, he exposed the harmful effects of the tobacco monopoly on Costa Rica's economy and instituted policies designed to diversify agricultural production. Under the general aegis of the Bourbon Reforms, Acosta removed some of the taxes from coffee production and greatly increased the growth of that important crop. His administration contributed to a growing sense of nationality among Costa Ricans in the pre-Independence era. Acosta, though a Spanish colonial official, was popular enough among Americans to have been considered as the intendant for Costa Rican economic affairs in 1812. He died in Cartago.
See alsoBourbon Reforms .
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ligia María Estrada Molina, La Costa Rica de don Tomás de Acosta (1965).
Ralph Lee Woodward, J r., Central America: A Nation Divided (1985).
Theodore S. Creedman, Historical Dictionary of Costa Rica, 2nd ed. (1991).
Karen Racine