Maderismo And The Mexican Revolution: What Did They Consist Of?
Little or very little has been said about one of the most crucial moments in the political-social history of Mexico, but at the beginning of the 20th century a series of events occurred that marked the trajectory and destiny of the country for 10 years. The Maderismo movement, by its ideologist Francisco I. Madero (1873 – 1913), was a short but intense period of political revolution in the Latin American country.
Maderismo did not last more than a year and a half, among other things, due to its lack of revolutionary nature, internal disagreements within the movement and, finally, due to a military coup d’état that was carried out in 1913 by General Victoriano Huerta. and with the approval of the United States, which politically and logistically supported the uprising against Maderismo. However, the effects of this stage still resonate in the culture of Mexico.
No political or social uprising can be explained without understanding the background. Mexico had been living for decades a time of government secrecy, political corruption and misappropriation of public funds. José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz (1830-1915), president of the country for almost 30 years, sought to prolong his mandate with a decree that angered society.
The period that Díaz was in power, known as “Porfirismo”, laid the foundations for a dictatorial, repressive government with civil rights (such as freedom of the press and organization) and that he ruled Mexico with an iron fist. He imposed his legitimacy by relying on the stability and peace that had been established in the country in previous times. As is usually the case in this type of political system, Porfirio came from an outstanding military career, with support from the elites and the backing of the army.
Despite the economic improvement in general terms and the modernization of the country, the dictator Porfirio’s mandate was characterized by the impoverishment of the social majority, especially the agrarian , who saw how their conditions were deteriorating more and more. As if that were not enough, the personalism and despotism that the Porfirista government acquired further fueled the voices against it.
The role of Francisco Madero
As it could not be otherwise, Maderismo had as its representative its highest representative, Francisco Madero, who began his career in politics in 1904, leading anti-reelectionist policies to avoid a new mandate for the governor of his state, Coahuila. Later, He became involved and supported the Mexican Liberal Party in order to promote a more radical change for the country. However, due to ideological disagreements he left the party.
It was that same year, 1906 when founded the Anti-reelectionist Party, which had its ideological foundation in the reform of the Mexican electoral system , making it more participatory, more democratic and with the ultimate goal of eliminating the scourge of political corruption. Although it was given less importance due to its brief impact on public life, Maderismo also included reforms to the health and educational system, making it more accessible to ordinary people, measures that were quite advanced for their time.
In this way, Francisco fought with equal forces against President Porfirio in a social and electoral battle, but he did not even manage to participate in the elections. Porfirio decides to imprison Madero, afraid of the popular support that his movement and person were acquiring Evidently, Díaz wins the elections again and Madero decides to go into exile in the US after his attempt to be vice president fails.
Frustrated at having failed in his plan to seize power through legal and democratic means, Madero understood that the only way to bring down Porfirio was through violence and popular uprising This is what he did with the famous San Luís Plan of 1910, where he called to arms for November 20 of that same year. The letter asked the entire opposition to veto the re-elected government, to unite against it and to fight directly with weapons.
The call to rebellion was such a success that In just a few months the entire country was in the hands of the rebels , guided mainly by the promises of Maderismo to improve the conditions of the proletariat and salaried workers, with measures such as land expropriation and profound agrarian reforms. All of this precipitated Porfirio’s exile to the United States.
Failure of timberism
Unfortunately for the country, Maderismo turned out to be a mirage. Francisco I Madero did not fulfill most of his promises to the farmers. It took on a much more reformist and moderate character than expected , disappointing his followers. Timid measures to redistribute wealth, the productive system and more political freedom were not enough to legitimize the Maderista government.
Between opponents within itself, and the nostalgic Porfiristas, Maderismo found itself cornered and without room to maneuver. Due to these events, the mandate only lasted 15 months, full of instability and fratricidal struggles that They were followed by a coup d’état in 1913 led by Victoriano Huerta Curiously, this historical moment would mark the future of the next decade of the Mexican country, plunging again into popular revolts and military repression.
