The Mexican Revolution and the Middle Class - Research Paper Example

The Mexican Revolution and the Middle Class Introduction: The middle class played a great role in the Mexican revolution. It is because of their contributions that the revolutionaries were able to overcome the forces of President Diaz. There are many reasons that made the middle class to join the revolution. The most important factor is the kind of treatment that President Diaz gave to the middle class (The Mexican Revolution). Under the leadership of President Diaz, the middle class were highly exploited. It was difficult for these people to get government jobs, and advance in their career. Furthermore, there was a high level of corruption, and nepotism (Gawronski, 361). People who were well connected managed to get the best jobs that the government offered. The government did not emphasize on skill and capability while offering the various positions and jobs it had to offer. Only people loyal to the regime received the best opportunities to advance (The Mexican Revolution). The middle class people were not satisfied with this situation, and hence they decided to revolt (Gawronski, 363). To make matter worse, when it came to engaging in business, the policies initiated by President Diaz only favored the elite. It is the elite who had an access to the numerous lands seized in rural areas for commercial agriculture. This was a luxurious line of business, and the middle class were mission out on it. Gawronski (364) plains that had the middle class gained an access to these lands, then chances are high that they could not join the revolution. Gawronski (363) further explains that the middle class were fighting for equal opportunity in regard to ownership of means of production. The revolutions, led by the likes of Zapata and Pancho Villa were fighting for a return of the lands to their original owners. This conflict continued to manifest itself even after the overthrow of President Madero. This is because President Madero refused to return the seized lands to the peasant farmers. The middle class enjoyed great benefits after the revolution (Gawronski, 363). They formed the government, and the ruling party, that dominated Mexican politics for decades. The name of the party is the Institutional Revolutionary Party. The middle enjoyed lots of freedom after the revolution, and they could advance their care and also engage in any business they wanted (Gawronski, 364). This paper examines the role of the middle class in the Mexican Revolution. This paper takes a stand that the middle played an influential role in supporting the revolutionaries in the Mexican revolution of 1910 to 1920. The Mexican Revolution and the Middle Class: The Mexican revolution remains one of the most important revolutions that took place in Latin America. It is marked with political celebrations in Mexico, and this is because it is an important political event. The most important players during this revolution was the middle class. The middle class played a great role in ensuring that the revolutionaries won the war, against President Diaz. These people provided money and soldiers for purposes of advancing the agenda of the revolutionaries. The army was under General Carranza, and it engaged the government in urban centers. The middle class army also provided support to the armies of General Pancho Villa in the North, and General Zapata in the South (The hunt for Pancho Villa). This support was essential in breaking the various sieges that the government army had laid against these two Generals. By concentrating in urban areas, the government’s army was also limited on how it could advance its troops for purposes of quelling the rebellion in the rural areas of Mexico. Furthermore, after the rebellion, it is the Middle Class who took over power, and began initiating a sequence of policies aimed at changing promoting good governance in Mexico. Immediately after the end of this revolution, President Obregon took over the leadership of Mexico, and introduced a series of changes aimed at making Mexico a democratic state (Gawronsk, 367). People who argue against the recognition of these revolutions, denote that they are bloody and violent, and hence they lead to the loss of lives. However, the Mexican revolution is credited with introducing democracy and good governance in Mexico. After the end of this revolution, no president has ever stayed in office for more than two terms. Presidents are also accountable for their actions and behaviors while in office. The mass revolution that occurred in Mexico was to demand the social transformation of people, in Mexico (The hunt for Pancho Villa). Leonard (25) explains that violence, corruption, and inflexibility provided a ground for the revolution to occur. For example, the government of President Porfirio Diaz was very undemocratic, and oppressive in nature. President Diaz took over in the year 1876, and is widely accused of corruption, mass killings, and authoritarian rule. The middle class people were heavily affected by the policies of President Diaz. This is to the negative (Leonard, 22). President Diaz developed policies that would ensure the middle do not achieve any economic or political advancement. In any given society, the middle class are the most ambitious people. They aspire for power, political and business leadership. Once in power, President Diaz ensured that there were limited opportunities for the middle class to achieve their ambitions and goals. The middle class were not satisfied with their position within the society, and hence they began to complain, leading to the emergence of the revolution. Most dictatorial societies manage to survive because they have a satisfied middle class, who are able to access opportunities for growth and development. When this is not there, chances are high that the middle class will support any revolutionary ideas that are within the state. It is the case of Mexico, during the leadership of President Porfirio Diaz (Leonard, 27). The second important reason for the emergence of the Mexican revolution is that the Presidency of Diaz was characterized by rapid changes in economic and social affairs in the Mexican history. Most Scholars argue that a strong economic growth is conducive for the people. It is because it will lead to the creation of jobs and reduction of poverty within a state. However, this is not the case of Mexico during the Presidency of Diaz. In as much as Mexico was experiencing some elements of economic growth, the poor and the middle class did not benefit (The hunt for Pancho Villa). It is only the bourgeoisies, and the politically connected who managed to benefit from the economic and social changes that Mexico was experiencing. Furthermore, these economic changes that Mexico was experiencing led to the mass acquisition and dispossession of traditional land belonging to rural Mexicans. This situation was unacceptable to the Mexicans, and they were eager to acquire their ancestral lands (Gawronsk, 366). The reason why the government took over these lands was to introduce commercial farming which was luxurious. The government used the wrong process to acquire these lands. The government used force, and it did not compensate the land owners on their possessed land. During the 20th and the 21st century, proper use of land was an important issue that affected people living in Latin America (Kelly, 32). For example, in Brazil, during the bloodless military coup against President Vargas of Brazil was because of his agrarian policies that targeted large land owners. It includes members of the military forces. Land was also held in great esteem in other Latin American countries such as Cuba, Bolivia, Argentina, Venezuela, etc (Gawronsk, 369). It was therefore an error for President Diaz to repossess these lands, with force and without compensation. The best strategy to use, was to negotiate with the peasants and buy these lands, or train them on how to commercially use their land (The hunt for Pancho Villa). The sideling of the middle class and the possession of farmer’s lands were the triggering factors for the Mexican revolution. Furthermore, the dictatorial style of President Diaz also led to the revolution, with the revolutionaries demanding a more open and transparent political leadership. In a democratic system of governance, political authorities are held responsible for their policies (Leonard, 32). Furthermore, such kind of systems normally follows the rule of law, and they cannot possess or acquire the property of another person, if it is not in accordance to the established laws and rules. It is therefore prudent to denote that the major reason for the emergence of the Mexican revolution is lack of democracy, and the rule of law (Kelly, 31). It was possible for President Diaz to avoid the revolution by providing opportunities to the middle class, and operating an open and transparent political system. It is as opposed to the authoritarian rule that President Diaz used while administering Mexico. The Mexican revolution had a number of impacts and effects. The first effect was the fall of President Diaz. The revolutionaries were able to win the war, and depose President Diaz, in favor of General Alvaro Obregon. There were a number of political, social and economic changes that took place in Mexico. The most notable one is the opening up of the economic and political system. It was for purposes of allowing anybody with an interest to participate in the economic and political development of the economy (The hunt for Pancho Villa ). The provision of equal rights to everybody living in Mexico was the major reason why the middle class participated in the revolution. This revolution led to the expansion of the middle class society in Mexico, and they were allowed to hold important political and economic posts in Mexico (Leonard, 37). It is an aspect that President Diaz did not allow. Furthermore, the constitution established that the highest number of years an individual can take in office is six years. It ensured that nobody was able to cling into power, and hence there was a democratic method of removing any dictatorial regimes. This is through a democratically held election (The Mexican Revolution). The Middle Class Role in the Revolution: In as much as the middle class society supported the revolution, they joined the actual conflict later into the revolution. They participated actively in this conflict, forming their own army, referred to as the constitutional army, under the leadership of Venustiano Carranza (Reyes, 5). Carranza was a rancher, and he strongly opposed the unfair land policies that the government of Mexico was advocating for. The emergence of the constitutional army, mostly made up of middle class people, was the turning point of the war. The constitutional army was the most successful in overthrowing Diaz, and this was one of the major aims and objectives of the revolution. In as much as it was the efforts of Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa in the defeat of Diaz, the two revolutionary could not win the revolution without the support of the middle class (Gawronsk, 366). An important contribution of the middle class in this revolution is money, and the provision of troops. The middle class contributed huge amount of money, with the aim of funding the revolution (The Mexican Revolution). The armies of General Pancho Villa and General Zapata did not have enough weapons. Furthermore, the people fighting in this army were peasants, and low scale farmers. This meant that they could not afford funding the revolution (The Mexican Revolution). Because they were fighting a common battle, the middle class were able to raise enough funds, to support all the factions fighting in this war. Availability of weapons is a major factor that determines which side wins the war. This was the case of the Mexican revolution. Initially, the government was able to surround the revolutionaries in the rural areas (Kelly, 39). However, with the entry of the constitutional army, the results of the war changed in favor of the revolutionaries. The constitutional army attacked the various positions of the government troops, killing thousands of troops, and freeing General Zapata and Villa from the siege that the government army was able to lay for them, in the rural areas. This army was able to control a huge area or urban locations (Kelly, 39). This was essential in denying the government some reinforcements, because they were able to choke off the supply route that the government troops were using. The middle class were also well organized, as opposed to other factions within the revolution. The middle class had a political leader, and his name was Francesco Madero (The Mexican Revolution). His main role was to move to all the regions of Mexico, explaining to them on the importance of the revolution, and why the revolutionaries were fighting. Madero was basically speaking for the constitutionalist’s army, and not the armies of Zapata and Villa (Kelly, 39). Madero was more appealing to the middle class because he was championing for democracy, rule of law, equal opportunities for everybody in Mexico (The Mexican Revolution). These are the reasons why the middle class joined the revolution. The middle class were looking for a political personality who could champion their interests, and Madero was the most suitable person. People like Venustiano Carranza, an influential middle class personality became his firm supporters. The support of Venustiano Carranza was of great importance, and it is mainly because Carranza was the commander of an army, referred to as the Constitutionalist Army (Gawronsk, 365). . The revolutionaries believed that with the absence of Diaz from the Mexican political system, then chances are high that Mexico would achieve democracy, good governance, and political stability. It is the reason why the revolutionaries agreed that Francisco Madero should take over power, in 1911. They believed that Madero would serve their interests, that of farmers, and that of the middle-class. In fact, Carranza, the leader of the constitutional army had a prominent position in the government of Madero. President Madero gave him the position of minister of war (The Mexican Revolution). This position by Carranza was of great importance during this period of the revolution. This is because he had the responsibility of uniting all the warring functions during this period of the revolution. The middle class therefore played a role in the Unification of the different factions to the revolution. Carranza was influential in convincing Zapata and Villa to support the Madero presidency. This was able to create peace for some time, before President Madero began to go against the wishes of the revolutionaries (Reyes, 3). The middle class began opposing him, and it played a role in his assassination. The loss of the support of the constitutionalist’s army was a major blow to Madero, and this played a role in his downfall. This is mainly because the constitutionalists held most power in urban population centers. These areas were concentrated in the centers of the country. Holding the support of these bases would ensure that Madero held to the power of Mexico. However, he lost their support, and hence nobody was there to protect him during his assassinations (McPherson, 51). Despite the fall of Madero, the middle class did not give up in their desire to introduce changes in the Mexican political system, and introduce good governance. War broke out, between the constitutionalists and the armies of Zapata and General Villa. This is because they did not trust the constitutionalists with power, after the behavior of Madero. This is the second face of the revolution. The first phase was the unity between the middle class and the revolutionaries, to remove President Diaz from power. The second phase was the desire of the revolutionaries to remove the middle class from their hold of power. However, this time, the revolutionaries were not successful, and they were defeated by the constitutionalist’s army (The hunt for Pancho Villa ). This is an indication that the army controlled by the middle class was the most powerful, and it played a significant role in ensuring that the revolution achieved its success. Under the leadership of Carranza, the man in charge of the constitutionalist army, Mexico was able to achieve the rule of law (Gawronski, 366). This is with the adoption of 1917 constitution of Mexico. The adoption of the constitution was a significant step in fulfilling the ambitions of the revolution. The constitution placed a limit on the number of years an individual was capable of leading a country. This limit was a period of six years. This 1917 constitution is the most important document in the Mexican history, and this is because it established democratic rule, and governance. It is one of the reasons motivating the middle class to join the revolution (Gawronski, 366). Another important change that the constitutionalists made was enacting the one party system in Mexico. The name of the party is the Institutional Revolutionary Party. This party was formed in 1929, and it was able to dominate the politics of Mexico for a number of years (Kelly, 26). This party was able to incorporate every Mexican into its structure, and this includes the farmers, business men, land owners, etc. This was for purposes of controlling Mexicans. Conclusion: The middle class played the most important role in the restoration of democratic rule in Mexico. Through the formation of the constitutionalist army, the middle class directly fought the army of President Diaz. They controlled the urban areas of Mexico, making it impossible for the army of President Diaz to attack the North and South of Mexico. These are the areas where General Villa and Zapata were waging their insurgency. The constitutionalist army also played a great role in consolidating the power of the middle class, after the fall of President Madero. The reign of President Carranza, a middle class personality did not go well with revolutionary leaders such as Zapata and Villa. They waged a war against his leadership, and they were defeated by the constitutionalist army. After their defeat, President Carranza began implementing the vision and mission of the revolution. This includes initiating a series of land reforms, and creating a new constitution that provided a limit an individual could take, while leading the country. That is, a person could only lead Mexico for a maximum period of six years. The passage of the constitution is the most important achievement made by the revolutionists, under the leadership of Carranza. This helped in introducing the rule of law in Mexico. Works Cited: Gawronski, Vincent T.. "The Revolution is Dead.: The Place of the Mexican Revolution in the Era of Globalization." Mexican Studies/Estudios Mexicanos 18.2 (2002): 363-397. Print. Kelly, William C.. "Revolution and the Streets: the Mexican Student Movement and the Mexican Revolution." The Latin Americanist 55.3 (2011): 25-48. Print. Leonard, Thomas M., J. Michael Francis, Mark A. Burkholder, and Monica A. Rankin. Encyclopedia of Latin America. New York: Facts On File, 2010. Print. McPherson, Alan L.. Encyclopedia of U.S. military interventions in Latin America. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2013. Print. Reyes, A.. "Revolutions in the Revolutions: A Post-counterhegemonic Moment for Latin America?." South Atlantic Quarterly 111.1 (2012): 1-27. Print. The hunt for Pancho Villa. Dir. Hector Galan. Perf. Linda Hunt. PBS Video, 1993. DVD. The Mexican Revolution. Dir. Iván Drufovka. Perf. Henry Nevison. Films Media Group, 2007. DVD. Read More