The repartimiento system replaced the encomienda system. The encomienda system was a system which entitled the Spanish Colonists to have and exercise control over the American Indians. It was proved that this system was abusive, and in certain areas the people lived as if they were slaves. The repartimiento replaced the encomienda by the 17th century and it was an imposed labour system from the colonist to the indigenous population which meant that the indigenous people were obliged to do low-paid work for the colonists. Sometimes that worked lasted weeks or even months and they had to work in the farms, mines and other places owned by the Spanish.