Madero’s Vision for Mexico

Our current political landscape is very contentious. There are many similarities to the situations that have thrust many countries into revolution. The similarities do not end with just change being envisioned. Different factions have very different visions for what change means. Sides see things very differently. Francisco Madero was of a liberal mindset and wanted to hold Porfirio Diaz to his promise of leaving power and allowing Mexico to be a democracy. To let the people decide who would lead them and lead reform. Madero had the means in which to back a succesful campaign and he had the connections to be recognized by other countries as the leader. This reminds me a lot of what Democrats have done when in power recently. The problem was Madero was satisfied to let outside interests continue to take hold of much of the policy that he would enforce. He was also of the opinion that the wheels of change and reform could move slowly. This was the direct opposite of what revolutionaries in both the north and south of Mexico wanted. The people who had lived under the brutality of the Haciendas wanted land redistribution. They wanted foreign interests to leave and or be forced to pay the people who worked the land an honest wage. In particular Emiliano Zapata’s Plan of Ayala looked to proclaim “that the lands, woods, and water usurped by the hacenados, cientificos, or caciques, under the cover of tyranny and venial justice, henceforth belong to the towns or citizens in possession of the deeds concerning these properties of which they were despoiled through the devious actions of our oppressors.”(Wasserman, pg.38) Zapata believed Madero to be a dictator on the same level as Diaz and an untruthful man because he wanted to force his surrender during negotiations. Zapata’s Plan of Ayala has been cited in every major revolution in Latin America subsequently. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6yntbVfmNE Francisco Madero also faced “disgruntled elites, hedging their bets and sizing up the opposition, waited for the opportunity to overthrow him.” (Gonzales, pg.92) Many elites had been very succesful under Diaz and did not want to give up the lands or businesses they had worked generations for either. Facing opposition from all sides, Madero’s short run was almost destined for failure. The counter revolutions allowed voices to be heard and allowed the issues to be recognized by outside governments like the United States who stepped in and provided weapons embargos to try and quell opposition they did not side with. Madero wanted change to come but wanted Mexico recognize that the status quo had brought about improvements after Spanish occupation. I believe he wanted to trey and make all sides happy by negotiating changes that would suit everyone. This of course was unacceptable to those who no longer wanted authoritarian rule.