The Role of Institutions in the Economic Development of Mexico

Mexico was building up to its revolution long before activists like Francisco Madero and Emiliano Zapata. From 1840 to 1910; Mexico went from a war-torn and newly freed nation to a nation on the brink of civil war. How did it get there? Through a series of wars, leaders, and policies, which proved causation politically, socially, and economically to the Mexican Revolution.

Another huge aspect of Mexican political culture is the Constitution of 1917. Many Mexicans attribute the origins of the political system in Mexico to the Revolution of 1910-1920 and it’s Constitution of 1917. Unlike their American neighbors, the people of Mexico focus and look to the past, not the future, to there missed dreams and hopes. Many people of Mexico support and have faith and pride in the Constitution of 1917, agree with the goals of the Revolution and support their political institutions. (McCormick p.333) The Constitution is seen more as an outline of the goals Mexico has aspired for. Their believe in the Constitution but recognize it as a work in progress as it still contains

Porfirio Diaz was the president of Mexico when the Revolution broke out. He was elected in 1877, and although he swore to step down in 1880, he continued to be reelected until 1910. He claimed that he was justified in this because he brought stability to Mexico. However, this was hardly the case. Diaz's regime aimed to industrialize Mexico, and foreign investors such as the United States and Britain

After the victory there was a split between the two revolution leaders due to differences in direction for Mexico. The Constitutionalist

The country of Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821 and over the coming decades would see serious political strife while leaders fought for control of the country. In 1876 General Porfirio Diaz seized control of the country and held power for the next thirty-four years. Diaz was a no nonsense sort of leader, who did not allow any opposition to his policies. Diaz promoted investment into Mexico’s natural resources from foreign companies and improved the wages of many of his supporters, while at the same time ignoring the lower classes who saw their wages shrink and their livelihood suffer.

1857 and the Laws of the Reform. With Benito Juarez’s victory over Emperor Maximiliano and

Since labor unions in Mexico were originally formed in the early 1900s, they have maintained a unique system of collaboration and collusion with the government of Mexico. Though many may refer to their system as one of “corruption,” it is a system that has become so deeply imbedded in the relationship between labor unions and the government, that it is now a well-understood unofficial network. Over the past 20 years in Mexico, a great deal of progress has been made toward the liberalization of the Mexican markets. Previously government-owned companies have been privatized, foreign investment has boomed, and a once one-party system has just recently

The Mexican Revolution began as a protest against the dictatorship and policies of Porfirio Díaz. He ran a 34 year dictatorship and his policies favored the wealthy families that monopolized economic and political power in Mexico. There were very few wealthy Mexicans and they were typically the politicians of cities, landowners, and foreign investors. Diaz suppressed the press and all the worker strikes that asked for better wages and better treatment. In the state of Veracruz, textile workers rioted in January 1907 at the huge Río Blanco factory which was at the time the largest in the world, protesting against their unfair

In 1834, Santa Anna emerged as a military dictator and overturned the Constitution of 1824. In October 1835 the centralist congress dissolved the state legislatures and transformed the former states into military departments. When the federalists resisted the centralist coup, Mexico descended into civil war.

The people in power became rich along with the nation, however, the majority of the population in the cities and the countryside remained poor. Along with those people, rich and poor Mexicans began to resent their trust on foreign investments. More importantly, the new generation of Mexicans was full of political ambition, and the Diaz era had such control of the government that no one new was able to enter their league. This combination of factors was what sparked the revolution of 1910. In 1908 US journalist James Creelman interviewed Porfirio Diaz. In the interview Diaz

Alongside job losses and the increase of the dependence of Mexico on the United States, Mexico has deeply been affected on a cultural aspect after the NAFTA was put in place. Indeed, Zuloaga explains in her article that “The internal imbalances caused the Mexican people to question their independence and national identity”. (Zuolaga,2001) By these words, the author once again shows that cultural identity is well affected by economic integration measures, and thus, globalization. Further on, she also mentions the asymmetry of power among NAFTA’s member states, which is undeniably palpable looking at the lack of affirmation Mexico is offered to deliver, here in the cultural

Mexico suffered ten years of war, suffering, and turmoil. Mexican leaders during 1910-1920 were unable to hold the country together and a revolution consumed the nation. The Mexican people grew tired of political greed, lack of support, and unequal treatment. Several leaders such as President Diaz would prove to be a man of one interest, himself. Others would quickly rise against him and attempt to claim the presidency. General Huerta and Francisco

The Mexican Revolution was one of the great revolutionary upheavals of the twentieth century and had a profound impact on the development of Mexico well into the modern day. The revolutionary period itself can be split into three distinct stages: First, several factions united behind Francisco Madero in order to overthrow the dictatorial government of Porfirio Diaz. When Madero’s government appeared to maintain the status quo set forth during the Porfiriato period, however, the same forces that brought Madero to power rose up once again to remove him. Finally, the remaining factions, no longer possessing a common goal to unite them, turned on one another in a fight to establish dominance. At the end of this bloody period emerged a new triumvirate:

     Over the next 30 years, Mexico City really began to thrive. Under Porfirio Diaz, more roads and telegraph lines were constructed. Rail lines into the U.S. and other provinces of Mexico were built, and foreign investment greatly increased, as well. In 1910, Mexico City had grown to a population of 471,000. The following 10 years saw all of Mexico in a state of disarray as a revolution was taking place.

Primo de Rivera’s fate resumed in the landowners deserting him while he attempted to introduce arbitration committees for worker’s wages and conditions. On one hand, it can be argued that the unfairness and failure to address the diverse concerns of its people had caused the Spanish Political system to lose the elections of April 1931. On the other hand, the gains that liberals and socialists made in the 1931 elections had aided their popularity in Spain. The king was advised to abdicate by the military and Spain became a republic once again, over the short period of half a century. Preston argues that Spain’s social tensions had grown in the period between the two republics, yet nobody was anticipating a civil war in the April of 1931.