The Mexican Constitution of 1917 introduced major reforms concerning land ownership, workers’ rights, education and the Catholic Church. However, it created a legal framework for change rather than transforming Mexican society immediately. The constitution was produced under Venustiano Carranza during the revolution and replaced the Constitution of 1857.
| Provision | What changed |
|---|---|
| Article 3 | Primary education was to be secular and free. This reduced the Catholic Church’s influence over education. |
| Article 27 | The nation gained ultimate ownership of land and subsoil resources. The state could redistribute land and restrict foreign ownership, providing the constitutional basis for agrarian reform and the restoration of communal ejido land. |
| Article 123 | Workers received extensive legal protections, including an eight-hour working day, a minimum wage, the right to organize unions and strike, and safeguards for women and children. |
| Article 130 | Church and state were formally separated. Clergy faced restrictions on political activity, while religious institutions lost important legal privileges. |
| Political provisions | Mexico remained a federal republic, presidential re-election was prohibited, and the executive remained powerful. |
These changes reflected revolutionary demands associated with workers and peasants, especially the demand for land expressed by Emiliano Zapata. Nevertheless, Carranza applied the radical provisions selectively because he wanted political stability and opposed extensive social revolution.
A common misconception is that the constitution immediately redistributed land and improved working conditions. It authorized these reforms, but implementation was uneven; substantial land redistribution occurred later, particularly under Lázaro Cárdenas between 1934 and 1940.
For an IB Paper 3 essay, distinguish between the constitution’s nature and its . Examiners reward a judgement explaining that it was revolutionary in principle but initially limited in practice, supported by precise references to Articles 3, 27, 123 and 130.