Background
- After a decade of civil war (1910–1920), Mexico faced the immense challenge of rebuilding a nation devastated by revolution.
- The revolution’s ideals i.e.land reform, labor rights, education, and national sovereignty had to be translated into institutions.
- From 1920 to 1940, leaders such as Álvaro Obregón, Plutarco Elías Calles, and their successors (during the Maximato) worked to consolidate political authority, modernize the economy, and stabilize a fractured society.
- Their efforts laid the foundations of the post-revolutionary state that would dominate Mexican politics for the rest of the 20th century.
Álvaro Obregón (1920–1924): Reconstruction and Reconciliation
- Political Reconciliation
- After the chaos of the revolution, Obregón prioritized national unity. He offered amnesty to former enemies, integrated rival military factions, and reestablished relations with the U.S. through the Bucareli Agreements (1923).
- Education Reform
- Appointed José Vasconcelos as Minister of Education, who expanded rural schools, promoted literacy campaigns, and used art and murals to instill revolutionary values and national identity.
- Land Reform
- Distributed about 1 million hectares of land, though implementation was cautious and uneven.
- Labor Policy
- Supported the Confederación Regional Obrera Mexicana (CROM), aligning with organized labor to stabilize industrial relations.
- Outcome
- Obregón’s presidency achieved relative stability and began rebuilding state institutions but relied on military patronage to maintain order.
Definition
Bucareli Agreements (1923)
- A treaty between Mexico and the U.S. guaranteeing property rights for American investors in exchange for diplomatic recognition of Obregón’s government.
Obregón’s Reconstruction Policies and Cultural Nation-Building
- Education and Culture
- Under Vasconcelos, education became central to social reconstruction. Over 1,000 rural schools were built, and literacy campaigns reached Indigenous and peasant communities.
- Vasconcelos launched the muralist movement, commissioning artists like Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros to depict revolutionary themes i.e. land, labor, and Indigenous heritage.
- Economic Reconstruction
- Obregón sought pragmatic stability, negotiating peace with the Church and foreign investors to encourage recovery.
- Limits
- Land redistribution fell short of revolutionary promises, and dependence on military and labor alliances (like CROM) created new power imbalances.
- Impact
- Obregón’s presidency reestablished civilian governance, defined cultural nationalism, and began institutionalizing revolutionary ideals within a functioning state apparatus.
Plutarco Elías Calles (1924–1928): Institutionalization and Conflict
- Political Vision
- Calles sought to create a modern, secular, and institutional state governed by law rather than personal power. Known as “El Jefe Máximo,” he emphasized state control and economic modernization.
- Economic Policy
- Introduced the Banco de México (1925) to stabilize the currency and regulate banking. Encouraged industrial growth and protected national sovereignty through limited state intervention.
- Labor and Peasant Policy
- Supported moderate land redistribution but confronted radical peasant movements.
- Anticlericalism and Conflict
- Enforced the anticlerical articles of the 1917 Constitution (especially Article 130), restricting Church privileges and leading to the Cristero War (1926–1929), a bloody Catholic uprising.
- Political Legacy
- After the assassination of President-elect Obregón in 1928, Calles created the Partido Nacional Revolucionario (PNR, 1929) to institutionalize revolutionary power and prevent future caudillo conflicts.
The Maximato (1929–1934) : Calles’s Shadow Rule
- Context
- Following Obregón’s death, Calles became Mexico’s de facto ruler, known as the “Jefe Máximo” (Supreme Chief). He handpicked presidents Emilio Portes Gil (1928–1930), Pascual Ortiz Rubio (1930–1932), and Abelardo L. Rodríguez (1932–1934) while controlling policy behind the scenes.
