The Porfiriato (1876-1911)

The Porfiriato (1876-1911)

• General Porfirio Díaz governed Mexico for 35 years.
• The Porfiriato was interrupted only by Manuel González's brief presidency.
• The period was known for authoritarian rule
• Peace, order, and economic modernization initiatives characterized the era.

Porfirio Díaz's Rise to Power and Political Strategies

• Porfirio Díaz was a military figure during the French intervention in Mexico.
• Díaz assumed power in 1876, after political instability.
• Díaz pacified the country by inciting local leaders to fight each other.
• He strengthened the army and police to control the countryside.
• Rural guards were employed in this effort.
• The government centralized power more effectively than any since independence.
• Peace and order were maintained through censorship and repression.
• Such policies were viewed as the price for stability.
• Díaz repeatedly modified the constitution to allow his re-election as president.

Alliances and Support Base

• Díaz strategically allied with powerful social groups.
• He adopted a conciliatory approach to the Church, unlike his predecessors.
• He gained the support of landowners by allowing private exploitation of vacant and indigenous lands.
• Politicians and intellectuals known as "the scientists" promoted Positivist ideas.
• These ideas justified the government's actions as necessary for national progress.

Economic Development During the Porfiriato

• Mexico experienced economic development under Díaz, opening the country to foreign investors, especially from Britain and the U.S.
• Railroad construction was incentivized, largely by foreign companies, and later managed by the Mexican state from 1907.
• Between 1877 and 1910, Mexico's foreign trade increased significantly.
• The U.S. became its main trading partner.
• Key exports included minerals like copper, zinc, silver, and gold.
• Limited industrialization occurred, focused on textiles, cement, and iron.

Regional Economic Disparities

• Economic development varied across Mexico.
• Mining occurred in the north.
• Agriculture in the central valley focused on wheat and grains.
• Sugar cane was produced in Morelos.
• Henequen plantations existed in Yucatán.
• Natives were forced to work as laborers in Yucatán.

Social Conditions, Education, and Challenges

• Economic growth benefited a small segment of the population.
• Most Mexicans had low wages and lived in poverty.
• The government expanded secular, public, and mandatory education.
• Education had limited reach in rural areas.
• Only about 25% of the population could read and write.
• As Porfirio Díaz's regime grew older, it faced growing problems.
• Social inequalities led to strikes and protests.
• Emerging political groups advocated for democracy.
• An economic crisis between 1907 and 1908 led to mass layoffs and wage reductions.
• Bad harvests worsened conditions, increasing public discontent.
• Mexico was becoming ripe for a revolution.