- Spanish rule was highly centralized, with all power concentrated in the hands of a small group of Spanish officials in Lima. Peruvians were denied any meaningful say in their own government.
- Spanish officials were often corrupt and abusive, extracting high taxes from the population and exploiting the natural resources for their own benefit.
Economic exploitation
- The Peruvian economy was structured to benefit Spain, with most of the profits from mining, agriculture, and trade flowing back to Europe.
- Peruvians were forced to work in the mines and on the haciendas, often in harsh and dangerous conditions.
Social discrimination
- Peruvians were treated as second-class citizens by the Spanish, who denied them access to education, healthcare, and other basic services.
- Intermarriage between Spanish and Peruvians was forbidden, and Peruvians were not allowed to hold high office in the government or the church.
Inspiration from other revolutions
- The successful revolutions in the United States and France inspired many Peruvians to believe that they too could overthrow their colonial oppressors.
- The spread of Enlightenment ideas, such as liberty, equality, and democracy, also helped to fuel the desire for independence.