Mexican Liberalism after Santa Anna

• I. Revolution of Ayutla – 1855
• A. Deposes a wildly autocratic Santa Anna
• B. Marks the rise of the Liberals

• II. Economic Basis of 19^th Century Mexican Liberalism
• A. A liberalism that accepted economics over all other considerations
• 1. So much so that they considered themselves an economic protectorate under the U.S.
• 2. But nationalism intervenes
• B. Still, took U.S. as model of development

• III. Sought Modernization
• A. Saw Mexico as backwards, medieval, an unprepared for the modern world
• B. Saw this as explanation for loss of war with United States
• C. First step in modernization was Ley Juarez, which restricted military and clerical fueros

• IV. Attacks on communal and corporate property
• A. Corporate lands seen as static wealth that needed to be released to prime the economy
• B. Attacks on Amerindian and communal lands
• 1. Seen as economically backwards
• 2. Enforcement based on 1812 provision abolishing racial distinctions
• 3. Many Indian communities had lost much population
• C. Ley Lerdo
• 1. Makes these attacks on communal and corporate lands official
• 2. Allowed government to take and sell millions of acres of Church property
• 3. Put in place active legislation for breakup of Amerindians lands
• 4. Meant to create a nation of yeoman farmers, attract immigrants

• V. Liberal vision ignored that most lacked knowledge, vision, capital to enter new world
• A. Ley Lerdo increased the concentration of land
• 1. State of Mexico – 1 person got about 1/3, 5 got about 1/3, 31 got 30% less than 6%
• 2. 9000 individuals bought up most of the land
• B. Those attuned to new ideas were able to amass fortunes
• C. Gaps open with those who aren’t
• D. Mush regional variations to this pattern
• 1. Mountainous, isolated areas mostly left alone
• 2. Some regions already had better sense of private property, like Oaxaca
• 3. In these areas, residents did better
• 4. Some Amerindian communities re-organized themselves as co-ops
• 5. In agriculturally vital regions with export crops, Amerindians lost most of their land
• 6. In the countryside, produced economic growth, but social failure
• 7. Many forced off land became part of a transient labor force (seen as assault on poor)
• 8. Landless Amerindians became potential soldiers for conservative reactionaries

• VI. Urban Reforms
• A. Written signs replaced picture signs
• B. Streets names and numbers reformed, posted
• C. A problem for the illiterate, as Liberals did little for education
• D. Sidewalks reserved for “decent” people
• E. Indoor toilets (no call of nature on the streets)
• F. Loss of Church wealth had serious impact in its ability to provide social services

• VII. Revolts against Liberalism
• A. French Intervention (1862-1867)
• 1. Napoleon III wanted to expand the grandeur of France, hold USA in check
• 2. Conservatives in Mexico saw intervention and monarchy as check on Liberals
• 3. Ironically, Maximillian (1864-1867) turned out to be a liberal
• 4. Benito Juarez leads opposition – victory brings triumph of Liberals
• 5. Completely discredits the Conservatives
• B. Rural revolts
• 1. A number of local rebellions
• a. Perceived political betrayal
• b. Desire to protect Church
• c. Sought to protect local land rights
• d. Fought against socially exploitative conditions that predated Liberals
• e. Fought against advent of stringer central government
• 2. Julio Chavez Lopez
• a. Largest rural revolt – more of a movement
• b. Based in Chalco (Mexico State), late 1860s
• c. Lopez and Amerindians saw government as exploitative
• d. Adhered to anarchism, sought destruction of state to end anarchism
• e. Lopez captured and executed September 1, 1867
• C. Banditry
• 1. Cities were islands of law and order in a sea of lawlessness
• 2. Juarez unable to control the countryside
• 3. The Plateados
• a. Elegant bandits – adorned themselves in silver, rode good horses
• b. Stole from the rich
• c. Talked of the “tyranny of Juarez”
• d. Presented themselves as defenders of the campesinos
• e. Ran protection rackets
• f. Often of lower-class origins – a warning of social turmoil at the bottom
• 4. Rurales
• a. Juarez co-opted some plateados into a rural police force
• b. Wore a regularized version of the plateado costume
• c. Line between virture and lawlessness was blurred
• d. Gave illusion of central control over countryside
• e. Often moved back and forth between banditry and lawfulness
• f. Profitable corruption kept many in government service
• g. Sometimes entire units looted the areas they were meant to protect
• h. Nevertheless, represented first step in establishing rural order
• D. Revolution of Tuxtepec
• 1. Juarez decision to run again in 1872 brought opposition to the surface
• 2. War hero Porfirio Diaz ran on platform of real suffrage, no re-election
• 3. Indirect election system enabled Juarez to be re-elected
• 4. This led to a Diaz revolt, which was put down
• 5. Juarez dies, replaced by product of Liberal machine politics, Sebastian Lerdo
• 6. Launched new assaults on Church (seemed to favor Protestantism)
• 7. Worked to concentrate even more power in the hands of the President
• 8. Sought re-election in 1876
• 9. Diaz protested – used old program, claims of vendepatria and abuse of local rights
• 10. Struck a chord with local politicians – Lerdo flees, Diaz elected