THE PATRON-PEON SYSTEM WAS ONE OF THE FIRST SPANISH AMERICAN SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS TO SUCCUMB TO INFLUENCES OF THE DOMINANT ENGLISH-SPEAKING SOCIETY. THE PATRON IS DEFINED AS A PERSON WHO IS ABLE TO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SECURITY, AND LEADERSHIP TO THOSE WHO MUST WORK FOR A LIVING. THE LARGE LANDHOLDER PATRON SUPPLIED A PROTECTED, SELF-SUFFICIENT VILLAGE, SUPPORTED THE CHURCH, AND PROVIDED THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE FOR HIS PEONS. IN EXCHANGE, HE EXPECTED OBEDIENCE AND LOYALTY. THE VILLAGE PATRON DID NOT PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT, BUT WAS RESPECTED AS A VILLAGE LEADER. BOTH THE VILLAGE PATRON AND THE LANDHOLDER PATRON WERE EXPECTED TO BE GENEROUS, HOSPITABLE, BRAVE, COURAGEOUS, AND TO DISPLAY THE PERSONAL QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP. ALTHOUGH THE PATRON-PEON RELATIONSHIP IS ALMOST NON-EXISTENT TODAY, THE FOLLOWING VALUES AND ATTITUDES ARE OUTGROWTHS OF THE RELATIONSHIP AND ARE SEEN AS CHARACTERISTIC OF SPANISH AMERICANS IN NEW MEXICO--(1) A BLIND LOYALTY TOWARD ETHNIC LEADERS, (2) A TENDENCY TO ENTER INTO A SECURE POLITICAL OR ECONOMIC POSITION OF DEPENDENCY, (3) A RELUCTANCE AMONG MANY TO MAKE DECISIONS, (4) A DISLIKE OF COMPETITION AND OF PERSONAL INITIATIVE, (5) A PREFERENCE FOR A STABLE HIERARCHICAL SOCIAL SYSTEM WITH WELL-DEFINED STRATA, ROLES AND UTILIZATIONS, (6) A PREFERENCE FOR FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIPS RATHER THAN IMPERSONAL, AND (7) A STRONG DISLIKE FOR SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CHANGES. THIS PAPER WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN "SOCIAL FORCES," VOLUME 41, NUMBER 1, OCTOBER 1962. (SF)