Page 311 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol IV

1612 berkshire encyclopedia of world history

This mural in Guadalajara, Mexico,
displays the emotion associated
with the Mexican fight for freedom.

increased dictatorial powers at the expense of the popu-
lar classes.
The new elite amalgam promoted commercial produc-
tion at the expense of the rural workers who had enjoyed
wide land-use rights for hundreds of years.The amalgam
reorganized the peasants and rural workers, moving them
from less commercialized village properties and commer-
cial estates, small mines, and artisan-run patios into larger
capitalized entities. Foreign-born supervisors (low level
management such as foremen) monopolized local author-
ity and enjoyed wage differentials over the workers at an
average of twenty-to-one, while managers (those who
head an entire plant, mine, or other operation) earned as
much as two hundred times their workers’ wages. Foreign
skilled workers enjoyed preferential treatment in an
apartheid setting of segregated housing, unequal salaries,
and discriminatory work assignments.
The Mexican Revolution (1910–1920) stemmed from
several sources: the alienation of the provincial and local
elites who saw their political authority eroded, the dashed
hopes of the peasants and workers who faced economic had seen their share of land ownership fall from 25 per-
setbacks and even crushing famines instead of the prom- cent to 2 percent under privatization, and their leaders
ised well-being, the increasingly dictatorial nature of the sought the return of the land to the communities. The
regime instead of an expected development of democ- third group was comprised of the heads of organized
racy, and the rise of economic nationalism.The revolution labor, many of them anarchists. During the revolution
began on 20 November 1910, when Francisco Madero, they created the 150,000-member Casa del Obrero
a man of wealth from the northern state of Coahuila, Mundial (House of the World Worker) and committed
called for all Mexicans to rise up and overthrow the dic- 5,000 soldiers and more than 500 women field nurses,
tatorship. He promised political democracy, equality known as acratas (those opposed to all authority) to the
before the law, and agrarian reform. struggle. They wanted workers self-management in the
Three main groups emerged in the struggle against the factories, land for the peasants, and a reduced role for for-
dictator Porfirio Diaz. The first group, reflected by eign capitalists. The differences between these three
Madero and later by Coahuila Governor Venustiano Car- groups and the defenders of the ancient regime led to a
ranza and the Sonoran oligarchs Alvaro Obregon and complex civil war.
Plutarcho Elias Calles, comprised the regional and local
elites, who banded together for federalism, local and Madero Assumes Power
states’ rights, and a nationalism with a more balanced By the spring of 1911 widespread revolts by rural work-
distribution of power between themselves, the national ers and peasants in support of Madero seized local
government, and the foreigners.The second group com- power and were growing larger. Diaz quickly resigned
prised the leaders of the rural working people: Emiliano with an admonition that “Madero has unleashed a tiger
Zapata, Francisco “Pancho” Villa, and myriad others.The —let us see if he can ride it.” Assuming power in late
rural masses, who made up 80 percent of the population, 1911, Madero went to war with rural revolutionaries led