Blog Post1
After winning the presidential election in 1910, Diaz released his political rival Madero from prison.” Madero fled to the United States, fearful that the dictator would imprison or kill him again. He later realized that he could not overcome Diaz through peaceful methods and decided to rebel. The statement outlining the reasons for his insurrection, known as the Plan of San Luis Potos, was not particularly radical in its intentions, but it acted as a rallying point for disgruntled sections in Mexican society. Peasants, laborers, the middle class, and dissident elites banded together to support Madero and his plan to overthrow Diaz.
Francisco I. Madero called upon the citizens “to take up arms and overthrow the government of Gen. Diaz” (Wasserman, 37) Madero’s reasoning was not only due to the unwarranted act Diaz committed during the previous elections, but rather to save the nation from the gloomy future that awaits it under his dictatorship and under the government of the evil scientific oligarchy. Madero believed the government of the evil scientific oligarchy was consuming and wasting the national resources without scruple and in great haste. Madero also believed that if they allowed Diaz and his government to remain in power, they would have finished their work in a very short time; and in doing so would have led the people into disgrace and would have decimated the country. Madero states “They will have sucked all their wealth and left them in the most absolute misery; they will have caused the bankruptcy of our finances and the dishonor of our country which, weak, impoverished, and manacled, will find itself without arms to defend its frontiers, its honor, and its institutions.” (Wasserman, 37)
Madero was backed by a slew of local revolutionary movements, whose military triumphs embarrassed the federal army and damaged the Daz administration. The text states “Madero stood as titular head of a revolutionary movement tenuously and temporarily held together by the common goal of overthrowing the dictator.” (Castro, Ch 2) The rebels led by Madero triumphed at Ciudad Juárez on the Mexico-U.S. border after a valiant battle. However, his troops invaded the city defying Madero’s orders, eventually seizing it. Along with the win at Cuernavaca, this rebel triumph brought about Diaz’s collapse and years of factional conflict. As Madero failed to implement the socioeconomic changes that so many of the people who fought under his banner sought, old revolts persisted, and new ones emerged. The Zapatistas were motivated to carry on their fight against the federal government by the unwillingness to make hasty or radical decisions, particularly in regards to land distribution and municipal autonomy.
The goal of the Revolution, as it was envisioned by Francisco I. Madero and his followers from the middle class, was to bring about political change and democracy in Mexico. Regardless of social status, they sought to construct a constitutional government that would serve all Mexican residents. Lower-class participants, such as campesinos and laborers, had more pressing concerns, such better working conditions and land reform. Wasserman states “But the Morelos peasants did not fully trust Madero. When it appeared that he would not proceed quickly with land redistribution after his victory over Díaz and his election as president, the Zapatistas rebelled against him, issuing the Plan of Ayala only three weeks after he took office.” (38) As a result of his inability to appease both groups after being elected president of Mexico, Madero faced difficulties. While the lower-class participants believed that Madero was not doing enough to meet their immediate needs, the middle-class supporters believed that he was not acting swiftly enough to establish a constitutional
This early phase of revolution and counterrevolution was significant in Mexican history because it marked a critical turning point. It eventually resulted in the demise of Porfirio Diaz’s dictatorship and the installation of a constitutional government. Significant social and economic reforms were also brought about by the Revolution, including land reform and the extension of workers’ rights. It was, however, a time of enormous violence and instability, with numerous factions fighting for power and participating in military conflict. The conflicting interests of the various parties involved in the Revolution made establishing a stable administration difficult, and the bloodshed lasted for many years after Madero’s inauguration. Despite these challenges, the Revolution paved the way for a more democratic and equitable society in Mexico, and it remains an important event in Mexican history to this day.
