Page 192 - Mediterranea-ricerche storiche, n. 48, aprile 2020flip

192 Roberto Rossi

going out from the Real Albergo. The rules of the institution precisely
divided the social from productive activities of the inmates. The rector
of the Real Albergo dei Poveri only had authority over the internal life
of the girls (within the Real Albergo), while the general manager
supervised the productive organisation of the silk factory .
53
The work discipline and control within the Real Albergo dei Poveri
and its silk factory was based on accountability that distinguishes a
regime of government. This tool makes visible some objects (the poor
inmates) and obscures others .
54

The Mexico City Poor House

Work within the Poor House was divided into two main activities. On
the one hand there was the work that the inmates had to provide for the
institution (maintenance, cleaning, cooking, storage, etc.) on the other
there were the productive activities established within the structure
(carding, spinning and weaving of wool and cotton) to which the inmates
could be destined . Both types of work activities were remunerated, thus
55
configuring paid but forced work, since it was a mandatory activity.

Table 11. Mexico City Poor House. Salaries paid to inmates
for in-house positions (1803) (in pesos)
NUMBER POSITION ANNUAL WAGE (IN PESOS)
Male workers
1 Portero (main gatekeeper) 96
1 Portero (patio gatekeeper) 72
1 pantryman 96
1 Nurse 96
1 Cook 96
1 Master Artisan 96
1 Barber 96
2 Celadores (supervisor) 96
1 Refectolero (meals server) 72
9 Office assistant 48

53 Asp, Rsi, vol. 5498.
54 M. Dean, Governmentality: Power and Rule in Modern Society, 2nd ed., Sage,
London, 2010.
55 S.M. Arrom, Containing the poor. The Mexico City Poor House cit., p. 95.

Mediterranea - ricerche storiche - Anno XVII - Aprile 2020
ISSN 1824-3010 (stampa) ISSN 1828-230X (online)