Chapter 24: Madero and Liberal Critique

Chapter 24: Madero and the Liberal Indictment of the Porfiriato

• Liberal Leadership: The early 20th century in Mexico was markedly different from 25 years earlier, despite industrial and economic growth. Modernization created discontent and overshadowed Porfiriato's achievements. Wealth was concentrated in the hands of a few, economic surplus was not broadly distributed, and the masses were sidelined.
• Political and Economic Grievances: The 1857 Constitution's guarantees were consistently violated. Elections were fraudulent. Press freedoms did not exist. The clergy's role was limited. The local jefe político wielded capricious power over justice. Porfirio Díaz became synonymous with both longevity and brutal rule. Intellectuals questioned the dictatorship.
• Early Reform Advocates: Orozco, a jurist from Guadalajara, criticized Díaz's land laws. He argued for breaking up large estates and promoting agricultural progress. He advocated for the government to take action from within, to effect needed reforms.
• The Flores Magón Brothers: Jesús, Ricardo, and Enrique Flores Magón published the weekly "Regeneración" in Mexico City. Their critique of corruption and injustice invigorated the liberal movement through their imprisonment and exile. Camilo Arriaga joined their movement. They later moved to the US from exile to protest the Díaz regime.
• Madero's Involvement: Francisco I. Madero, a wealthy landowner, became a significant figure in the opposition to the Díaz regime. He was instrumental in revitalizing "Regeneración" which published from the US, and his participation in the anti-reelectionist movement was pivotal in the lead-up to the revolution.
• The Liberal Plan: Published in 1906 by the St. Louis junta, it advocated for freedom of speech and press, elimination of jefes políticos, secular education, and nationalization of church property. It also called for a national eight-hour workday and elimination of child labor. It represented a more radical departure from previous liberal movements.

Chapter 26, The Revolution of 1910

• The Cananea Strike: In 1906, workers at the Cananea Consolidated Copper Company in Sonora went on strike. They were concerned about pay disparity with US workers and other issues, which erupted in violence involving US volunteers and the Mexican authorities, demonstrating the tensions.
• Labor Unrest: The Cananea strike exposed wider societal discontent. Textile workers, too, were organizing, leading to strikes in the Rio Blanco textile mills near Orizaba in 1907. This strike involved violence, death and legal challenges, and highlighted the inequalities and growing tensions.
• Heightened Political Activity: Diaz's unexpected announcement that he would not seek re-election in 1910 sparked unprecedented political activity. Intellectuals like Molina Enríquez and writers like Madero fueled the opposition.
• Madero and Anti-reelectionist Movement: Madero became a key figure in the growing opposition movement. His book "The Presidential Succession of 1910" emphasized the need for constitutional reform and democracy.
• The Plan de San Luis Potosí: Madero articulated the anti-reelection movement. This plan called for the overthrow of Díaz and initiated the revolution.
• The Rise of Rebel Armies: Local uprisings began. Discontented people, including campesinos, workers, soldiers, and others, took up arms in various regions, motivated by local grievances and broader opposition to Díaz
• The Battle of Ciudad Juárez played an important role in the revolution, leading to Díaz's resignation and exile.