Causes of the Mexican Revolution Notes

Background

1. By 1910, Mexico appeared stable and prosperous under Porfirio Díaz, who had ruled almost continuously since 1876.
2. Beneath the surface, however, the Porfiriato had created deep divisions. Modernization and foreign investment enriched a small elite while displacing peasants, marginalizing Indigenous communities, and alienating the middle class.
3. Díaz’s refusal to allow political change turned discontent into open rebellion.

Social Causes

1. Landlessness and Rural Inequality
   1. By 1910, over 90% of rural families owned no land. The Ley de Deslinde (1894) allowed private companies and elites to seize “vacant” lands, destroying communal (ejido) systems.
2. Indigenous Displacement
   1. Indigenous peoples lost ancestral territories and were forced into debt peonage on haciendas or mines, creating resentment that fueled the revolution.
3. Urban Labor Strain
   1. Industrialization brought harsh working conditions in factories and mines, often under foreign ownership, with long hours and minimal pay.
4. Social Mobility Blocked
   1. A small elite monopolized wealth and opportunity; education and reform did not reach the rural poor, widening class divisions.
5. Peasant Radicalization
   1. Figures like Emiliano Zapata mobilized rural communities under slogans such as “Tierra y Libertad” (“Land and Liberty”), demanding restitution of land and justice.

Economic Causes

1. Foreign Economic Dominance
   1. By 1910, over 40% of Mexico’s economy (especially mining, oil, and railroads) was foreign-owned, mainly by the U.S., Britain, and France.
2. Uneven Modernization
   1. Industrialization and rail expansion benefited elites and foreign investors but bypassed rural Mexico.
3. Falling Real Wages
   1. Inflation and exploitation reduced living standards for workers even as national production soared.
4. Regional Disparities
   1. The north prospered with mining and trade, while the south, especially Indigenous regions, suffered economic decline.
5. Dependence on Export Economy
   1. Mexico’s growth relied on exporting raw materials, leaving it vulnerable to market fluctuations and foreign pressure.

Political Causes

1. Authoritarianism of Díaz
   1. The Porfiriato’s political system excluded most Mexicans from power. Elections were rigged, and opposition leaders were exiled, imprisoned, or silenced.
2. “Order and Progress” Ideology
   1. Díaz’s regime emphasized modernization and stability but rejected democratic participation.
3. Corruption and Patronage
   1. Loyalty was rewarded through appointments and favors; the Científicos, Díaz’s elite technocrats, shaped policy for their own interests.
4. Middle-Class Frustration
   1. Professionals, teachers, and journalists resented the lack of political mobility and growing oligarchy.
5. Crisis of Succession
   1. By 1910, Díaz was elderly with no clear successor. His claim that Mexico was ready for democracy exposed the regime’s contradictions.

Interconnection of Causes

1. The political rigidity of the Díaz regime prevented peaceful reform, converting social and economic grievances into armed conflict.
2. Foreign dominance and land inequality created nationalist and populist movements that transcended class boundaries.
3. Regional diversity: industrial labor in the north, peasant revolts in the south gave the revolution multiple fronts and motives.
4. Ultimately, the revolution was both a political rebellion against dictatorship and a social revolution seeking justice and redistribution.