Preface

This book will be published just as countless people north and south of the Rio Grande will be observing the hundredth anniversary of the Mexican Revolution and the two-hundredth anniversary of Mexican independence. To make the Revolution, independence, and other events more understandable, this book has been divided into nine parts and thirty chapters. Each of the sections discusses major events occurring during the period under consideration, as well as social change, the role of women, population growth, and economic and cultural development. The relationship between people and nature is stressed, from the dawn of Mexican civilization to twenty-first-century droughts and floods—considered by many to be harbingers of global warming.

The first part describes some of the myriad cultures that developed before the Spanish arrival in 1519. It then discusses how the Spanish were able to conquer the much more numerous Aztecs they encountered. A description of the administration the Spaniards established in their newly acquired domain follows. This part also considers how Europeans harnessed indigenous labor for their own ends and introduced Christianity and European-production techniques.

The first part emphasizes two significant differences between Spain’s colony in Mexico and the settlement process occurring further north in the thirteen British colonies. The degree to which indigenous and European cultures fused to create a unique new Mexican culture stands in sharp contrast to what happened in the British colonies. Spaniards’ diligent efforts to incorporate Mexico’s indigenous population into the larger society also differ markedly from the approach of their British counterparts further north.

The second part discusses one of the events being commemorated in 2010—Mexican independence. It considers the many grievances against Mexico’s colonizers and then describes how civil war engulfed Mexico after Father Hidalgo’s 1810 call to arms. Finally, the role different groups played in the independence struggle and the war’s impact on the economy are considered.

The third part describes how Mexicans endeavored to establish effective governance after independence. One of the major challenges was determining how far north and south the new nation extended. Building an economy outside the Spanish empire presented another formidable challenge. This part also discusses how the rise of a major power next door reshaped Mexico’s boundaries.

The fourth part considers the place in Mexican history of two of its most famous figures, Benito Juarez and Porfirio Diaz—men who dominated late nineteenth-century Mexico. These presidents were successful in knitting Mexico into a coherent political and economic whole— something that had been sorely lacking during the first half-century of Mexican independence. This section also discusses how the economy at long last began to grow—surpassing even the growth rate of the U. S. economy.

Part Five considers another of the events being commemorated in 2010—the Mexican Revolution. It describes the grievances that led to violent upheaval, the various actors who eventually turned on each other, and the final outcome. A separate chapter considers how the United States attempted—sometimes successfully, sometimes unsuccessfully—to influence the course of the Revolution.

The sixth part considers how Mexicans once again faced the task of creating a new political apparatus, reviving their war-torn economy, and defining the role of foreign investment, especially in the politically sensitive oil industry. Each of these challenges was influenced by pressure from below for the government to deliver on many of the social reforms promised during the Revolution.

Part Seven considers how, between 1941 and 1970, Mexico created a smoothly functioning, though hardly democratic, political system that ensured political stability. This stability allowed decades of unprecedented economic growth. The final chapter of this part considers how the United States came to be accepted as a source of investment capital and as an ally, first in the context of the Second World War and later during the Cold War.

Part Eight considers Mexico’s responses to falling economic growth and increased political instability. This part also discusses the new challenges presented by rapid population growth, massive emigration, and environmental contamination. In addition, it describes Mexico’s shift to a new set of economic assumptions, often referred to as neoliberalism.

The final part considers how Mexico, after decades of one-party rule, embraced multiparty democracy. This section brings the reader to the present and raises the question of how to deal with the failure of the two great hopes of the 1990s—electoral democracy and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)—to produce anticipated benefits.

This book will be successful to the extent that it better enables readers to understand Mexico’s complex past. Another indicator of its success will be its contribution to understanding how two “Distant Neighbors” (to use Alan Riding’s term) cope with such shared challenges as free trade, immigration, environmental pollution, and drug trafficking.

Following these nine parts is a list of Mexico’s rulers, beginning at the middle of the nineteenth century, and a glossary containing terms that are largely unknown outside of Mexico. Finally an extensive bibliography, drawn from material published on five continents, allows readers to peruse more extensive discussions of issues considered in the text.

Any printed book has limitations as to the number of illustrations and tables and the length of text that can be included. To complement the material included in the book that is before you, there is a companion website. Material on the website includes translations of written documents, such as the January 1, 1994 declaration of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) in Chiapas. The website includes additional statistical tables, such as production figures that track Mexico’s plummeting oil production. Other items on the website include photos and reviews of the book. The website also includes questions concerning the issues raised by events described in each chapter. Finally, a summary of events occurring after the publication of the book will allow readers to follow on-going events in Mexico.

I would like to thank a few of the many individuals who have contributed to making this book. Historians Alan Knight and Barbara Tenenbaum read parts of an earlier version of the manuscript and made valuable comments on the periods of their expertise. Carmen Ramos and Jodi Eineichner gave me valuable advice on interpreting women’s history. Nancy Hamilton’s reading of the entire manuscript resulted in numerous constructive suggestions on word choice and organization. Katherine Arens was invaluable in interpreting and translating all things Germanic.

This work would not have been possible without the efforts of the staff of the Benson Latin American Collection. They furthered the project in innumerable ways, including ferreting out

Information, keeping the collection stocked with recent publications, and shelving countless books, as I examined, checked, and rechecked sources.

Finally, credit is also due to the individuals who facilitated bringing the manuscript to book form. Linda Bathgate started the process by putting me in contact with Routledge. Kimberly Guinta then picked up the ball in her role as acquisitions editor. It was then a pleasure to work with Nicole Solano and Matthew Kopel as they helped put the book into its final form. Finally, I would like to thank two anonymous reviewers at Routledge for their suggestions for improving the manuscript.