The Mexican RevolutionThe Mexican Revolution

Latin America and the influence of Latin America and the influence of the American Colossusthe American Colossus

Neocolonialism in Latin AmericaNeocolonialism in Latin America

• Neocolonialism = dependence upon Britain & later U.S. instead of Spain or Portugal

• Growing trade with Europe helped stabilize political climate of L. Am.

• More stability in L. Am = more foreign investment– L. Am exchanged raw mats. and food for finished

goods from Europe and N. Am– Led to abandonment of native factory capitalism– Integrated into international economic system

Limited Progress for L. AmLimited Progress for L. Am

• L. Am countries locked into export of a few primary items (coffee, sugar, etc.)

• Vulnerable to fluctuations in international markets

• Domestic capitalism unlikely w/out sweeping reforms in land and labor policies– Would be painful for ruling elites so they chose

easier road of dependency upon GB or US

Land Policy as a Cause Land Policy as a Cause of the Mexican of the Mexican

RevolutionRevolution

Land and LaborLand and Labor

• Indigenous lands typically seized to expand haciendas

• Local labor force fell into debt peonage– Scrip, company stores, inheritable debt,

forced labor to pay debts

• Poor work conditions, long hours, unions outlawed and strikes brutally broken

• Caused a range of resentments among indigenous and agricultural population

Latin America 1900-1930Latin America 1900-1930• Recurrent imperialist interventions by U.S.

• International competition for favored access to L. Am markets– Strategic raw mats., cheap labor, investments

• Market forces eroded family – more women working – as well as rural isolation– Migrants streamed to urban slums and foreign lands

seeking employment

• Fed flames of 1910 Rev. in Mexico

• WW I did inspire some industrialism due to necessity

Increasing American ControlIncreasing American Control• U.S. investment in L. Am 2nd only to GB by

1914• Economic intervention = political influence• Armed intervention and “Dollar Diplomacy”

– Cuba, Dominican Rep., Nicaragua & others become dependencies or protectorates of U.S.

• Mexican exports increasingly geared to needs of U.S.– U.S.- and GB-controlled oil 3rd among world oil

producers– “Mexico, mother of foreigners and stepmother of

Mexicans”

The Porfiriato in MexicoThe Porfiriato in Mexico• Gen. Porfirio Diaz seizes pwr in Mex. 1876

• Won pwr w/ support of broad coalition– Incl. regional caudillos, liberals, indigenous and

mestizo small landholders, and U.S. capitalists and large TX landholders who viewed predecessor as anti-American

• Diaz ruled for more than 31 years – era known as the Porfiriato– One of longest personal dictatorships in L. Am

history

• Eventually relied on wealthy Mexicans and foreign capitalists to ensure his position

Porfirio DiazPorfirio Diaz

• President of Mexico– 1876-1880– 1884-1911

Protecting the PorfiriatoProtecting the Porfiriato• Opponents beaten, murdered, imprisoned

• Rurales – mounted police who suppressed peasant unrest and broke strikes

• Army enjoyed special privileges but officers chosen because of loyalty, not skill

• Land laws passed to concentrate land ownership among Mexican elites– Deprived indigenous and small landholders of land

• A major problem – weakening economy raised cost of living and anger for mass of population

Growing DiscontentGrowing Discontent• Labor strikes and agrarian unrest continued

despite repression• Professionals & intellectuals who hoped for

social advancement or reforms• Upper-class liberal reformers – Francisco

Madero (landowner and businessman)– Upper-class feared continued repression would

cause masses to revolt and overthrow capitalism in MX.

• Social and economic problems by 1910 had eroded support for the Diaz regime

Francisco Madero starts Rev of Francisco Madero starts Rev of 19101910

• Believed in democracy by elite in name of people– Similar to early U.S. leaders

• Critical of Diaz’s social policies – Thought they would lead to

massive unrest

• Limited reforms for workers and peasants would head off radicalism

MaderoMadero• Madero planned overthrow of Diaz from U.S.

– Suggests U.S. displeasure with Diaz– Taft hoped for better attitude by Mex. toward U.S.

• Upon return to Mex., 2 major rebel leaders emerged– Pancho Villa led peasant revolt in northern border

region– Emiliano Zapata led indigenous revolt in agricultural

southern Mex.– Both pledged loyalty to Madero over Diaz

• An urban labor revolt also undermined Diaz

Compromise leads Diaz to resignCompromise leads Diaz to resign• May 21, 1911 – Diaz resigns, leaving his

ambassador to the U.S. as interim prez– Porfiristas saw move as a way to calm things down

until they could reconsolidate their control– Continuing hostilities with Zapata by Porfiristas

continues the revolutionary wave.

• Madero wins presidency in Oct. 1911– the “Apostle of Democracy”– Really only provides the illusion of democracy– Some changes for workers but Madero abandon’s

real land reforms

A break with Zapata undermines MaderoA break with Zapata undermines Madero• One-time ally Zapata breaks from Madero and

issues Plan of Ayala on 11/28.1911– Lands taken from peasants and indigenous

population would be returned to original owners– Zapatista movement spreads throughout central

and southern Mexico

• Now Madero lacked support of elites and poor– Madero used military to fight Zapata & others

throughout 1912– Gen. Victoriano Huerta defeated revolts but further

alienated a large segment of Mexican population– Madero’s main allies now the military– Also lost the support of the U.S.

U.S. intervention – Part OneU.S. intervention – Part One• Feb. 1912 – U.S. troops stationed at border

– U.S. Ambassador threatens intervention if U.S. interests and lives not protected

• While secretly plotting with Gen. Huerta, the U.S. warned Madero of U.S. action

• U.S. encouraged Huerta to arrest Madero & others in govt. and do “what was best for (Mexico)”

• Madero murdered in jail – Huerta becomes new prez to the approval of landed elite, capitalists and the church

Huerta vs. the RevolutionariesHuerta vs. the Revolutionaries• Villa and Zapata renewed their struggles with

landed elites– Huerta’s armies tied down fighting rebels

• Villa a “Robin Hood” – type character who took revenues of northern estates and used $ to help poor

• Zapata took lands away from large landholders and redistributed it to peasants

• Venustiano Carranza emerged in 1913 to call for the overthrow of the dictator Huerta

Venustiano CarranzaVenustiano Carranza• Large landowner who called for constitutional

govt. – Joined by Villa

• Woodrow Wilson refused to recognize Huerta’s regime – claimed it came to power illegally– Also convinced that Huerta couldn’t provide political

stability– Feared Euros might gain better access to Mex

markets

• WW I shifted Euro interests to winning support from the U.S. – abandoned financial support of Huerta

Mexican Mexican RevolutionariesRevolutionaries

Emiliano Emiliano ZapataZapata

Champion of Champion of the landless the landless and poor of and poor of

southern and southern and central central MexicoMexico

Emiliano Emiliano ZapataZapata

Champion of Champion of the landless the landless and poor of and poor of

southern and southern and central central MexicoMexico

Francisco Francisco MaderoMadero

The “Apostle of The “Apostle of Democracy”Democracy”

Francisco Francisco MaderoMadero

The “Apostle of The “Apostle of Democracy”Democracy”

Venustiano CarranzaVenustiano CarranzaThe Constitutionalist The Constitutionalist Venustiano CarranzaVenustiano Carranza

The Constitutionalist The Constitutionalist

Pancho Villa – “Robin Pancho Villa – “Robin Hood” for the northern Hood” for the northern peasant class along the peasant class along the

border.border.

Pancho Villa – “Robin Pancho Villa – “Robin Hood” for the northern Hood” for the northern peasant class along the peasant class along the

border.border.

U.S. Intervention - Part TwoU.S. Intervention - Part Two• Wilson used the arrest of U.S. sailors in Tampico to

justify sending a fleet to Mex.• U.S. troops occupied Veracruz to prevent German

Arms shipment to the Huerta govt.– Set off wave of anti-U.S. sentiment in Mexico and other L.

Am countries– Including Carranza (Wilson’s hope for stable Mex.)

• Wilson disapproved of Zapata & Villa and tried to negotiate the removal of Huerta– supported the presidency of Carranza

• Carranza spurned Wilson’s “help” and Huerta fled to Europe

• No more Huerta meant no reason for U.S. troops– They left Veracruz on Nov. 23, 1914

Constitutionalist alliance failsConstitutionalist alliance fails• As interim leader - Carranza vague on his position on

agrarian reforms– Villa and Zapata supported Zapata’s Plan of Ayala for land

reform– Carranza refused to accept Plan, leading Villa & Zapata to

occupy Mex. City

• Carranza forced to promise often conflicting policies to varying groups to prolong influence– Skillfully drove wedge between workers and peasants –

divide and conquer– Armed conflict resumes

• Carranza forces defeat Villa and Zapata by end of 1915

U.S. Intervention – Part ThreeU.S. Intervention – Part Three• Oct. 1915 – Wilson recognizes Carranza

regime but continues efforts to interfere– Embargoes arms to Carranza opponents

• Angry with U.S. – Villa raids Columbus, NM

• Wilson sends Gen. Pershing to pursue Villa– Wrongly assumes Carranza would approve

• Carranza demands U.S. withdrawal and rallies support of other L. Am countries against U.S. aggression

• Failure to capture Villa and concern of major war with Mex. leads to U.S. withdrawal

Constitution of 1917Constitution of 1917• Progressive constitution hammered out by

representatives at 1916 convention

• Included far-reaching protections of labor and small landholders

• Protected private property, placed controls on foreign biz, supported growth of natl. capitalism

• Carranza the first legally elected president of Mex. since Madero

• Once prez, he fails to implement many reforms

• Other than standing up to U.S. and remaining neutral in WW I, Carranza ignores his pledges

The fall of CarranzaThe fall of Carranza

• Zapata murdered by Carrancistas in 1919– Struggle for “tierra y libertad” continued w/out

Zapata

• When Carranza tried to extend his power beyond his legal term – former supporter Alvaro Obregon turned on him– Carranza was killed after fleeing Mex. City in May

1920

• Obregon assumed presidency in Nov. 1920– Revolution over – Mexican population declined by 1

million 1910-1920 (dead, missing, emigrated)