If the Comunero rebellion did not reflect the appearance of new ideas or principles, nor mirror changes in the political consciousness of New Granadans, it did nevertheless alter the political climate in New Granada in one important respect. Henceforth, leading peninsular officials were more sensitive about issues of public order and more alert for signs of subversion. Not surprisingly, government fear of sedition was greatest in the years immediately after 1781, when unprecedented measures were taken to provide the authorities with effective policing power. These were started by Archbishop-Viceroy Caballero y Góngora, who persuaded the crown of the need to redeploy military power in the region, both by enlarging the presence of regular troops in the capital and by raising a large disciplined militia in the towns of the interior. Consequently, between 1783 and 1789, New Granada saw the most rapid and far-reaching reorganization of military forces yet undertaken on its territory, mainly to ensure that government had the means to enforce its authority.

Political order after the Comunero rebellion

In addition to mobilizing military muscle, Archbishop-Viceroy Caballero y Góngora also called for tighter control on a colonial populace that he considered to be inherently disorderly and insolent. According to Caballero y Góngora, much of the population lived in a deplorable state of idleness and debauchery, scattered over the countryside, and isolated from sufficiently rigorous religious or social discipline.