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The Mexican Revolution, 1910-1940
This judicious history of modern Mexico's revolutionary era will help all readers, and in particular students, understand the first great social uprising of the twentieth century. In 1911, land-hungry peasants united with discontented political elites to overthrow General Porfirio Díaz, who had ruled Mexico for three decades. Gonzales offers a path breaking overview of the revolution from its origins in the Díaz dictatorship through the presidency of radical General Lázaro Cárdenas (1934-1940) drawn from archival sources and a vast secondary literature.
His interpretation balances accounts of agrarian insurgencies, shifting revolutionary alliances, counter-revolutions, and foreign interventions to delineate the triumphs and failures of revolutionary leaders such as Francisco I. Madero, Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata, Alvaro Obregón, and Venestiano Carranza. What emerges is a clear understanding of the tangled events of the period and a fuller appreciation of the efforts of revolutionary presidents after 1916 to reinvent Mexico amid the limitations imposed by a war-torn countryside, a hostile international environment, and the resistance of the Catholic Church and large land-owners.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
Michael J. Gonzales is professor of history and director of the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies at Northern Illinois University. He is the author of Plantation Agriculture and Social Control in Northern Peru, 1875-1933 as well as numerous articles on Peruvian and Mexican history.
ACCLAIM
"The Mexican Revolution, 1910-1940 is an even-handed narrative/analysis written in a clear and concise style that both specialists and the general public can read to advantage. It is well illustrated with numerous photographs, clear and helpful maps, graphs, and chronologies. This work should serve especially well as a basic text for undergraduaute and graduate-level courses focusing on the revolution or as a complementary text in those treating the broader sweep of Mexican national history." -- Journal of San Diego History
"A readable and relatively balanced overview of one of the most significant topics in Latin American studies." -- The Latin Americanist
"Instructors and students alike will appreciate Gonzales's thorough narrative, his choice of empirical evidence, and his agreeable prose...." -- Latin American Perspectives
"Michael J. Gonzales' book is a useful source on the Mexican Revolution of 1910. . . . This well-researched work is recommended for the general reader and for classroom use." -- Colonial Latin American Historical Review
"Teachers of Mexican history need a readable survey of the revolutionary period's main events, actors, and themes. The Mexican Revolution is this text." -- The Historian
"This book is a concise, chronological account of the revolutionary period in Mexico." -- New Mexico Magazine
"This concise, clear and easily read history of Mexico's revolutionary period is likely to be welcomed by students and lay readers alike." -- British Bulletin of Publications
"[The Mexican Revolution, 1910 - 1940] will orient students to key issues, raising inevitable questions. . . . The text can organize discussions and lead students towards innovative understandings." -- The Americas
His interpretation balances accounts of agrarian insurgencies, shifting revolutionary alliances, counter-revolutions, and foreign interventions to delineate the triumphs and failures of revolutionary leaders such as Francisco I. Madero, Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata, Alvaro Obregón, and Venestiano Carranza. What emerges is a clear understanding of the tangled events of the period and a fuller appreciation of the efforts of revolutionary presidents after 1916 to reinvent Mexico amid the limitations imposed by a war-torn countryside, a hostile international environment, and the resistance of the Catholic Church and large land-owners.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
Michael J. Gonzales is professor of history and director of the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies at Northern Illinois University. He is the author of Plantation Agriculture and Social Control in Northern Peru, 1875-1933 as well as numerous articles on Peruvian and Mexican history.
ACCLAIM
"The Mexican Revolution, 1910-1940 is an even-handed narrative/analysis written in a clear and concise style that both specialists and the general public can read to advantage. It is well illustrated with numerous photographs, clear and helpful maps, graphs, and chronologies. This work should serve especially well as a basic text for undergraduaute and graduate-level courses focusing on the revolution or as a complementary text in those treating the broader sweep of Mexican national history." -- Journal of San Diego History
"A readable and relatively balanced overview of one of the most significant topics in Latin American studies." -- The Latin Americanist
"Instructors and students alike will appreciate Gonzales's thorough narrative, his choice of empirical evidence, and his agreeable prose...." -- Latin American Perspectives
"Michael J. Gonzales' book is a useful source on the Mexican Revolution of 1910. . . . This well-researched work is recommended for the general reader and for classroom use." -- Colonial Latin American Historical Review
"Teachers of Mexican history need a readable survey of the revolutionary period's main events, actors, and themes. The Mexican Revolution is this text." -- The Historian
"This book is a concise, chronological account of the revolutionary period in Mexico." -- New Mexico Magazine
"This concise, clear and easily read history of Mexico's revolutionary period is likely to be welcomed by students and lay readers alike." -- British Bulletin of Publications
"[The Mexican Revolution, 1910 - 1940] will orient students to key issues, raising inevitable questions. . . . The text can organize discussions and lead students towards innovative understandings." -- The Americas
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 1902
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 5, 2025
Tons of books have been written about the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1920. They vary widely in length, attention to detail, attitudes towards the people involved, and political bias in general. They also contradict each other depending on what information the authors had access to. Content can be confusing as well since different leaders and factions of the Revolution changed allegiances and sometimes fought with those they previously supported. And from the top political leaders to the military commanders to the common rank and file soldiers, there is an extremely wide range of reasoning for joining in the battles. Whether it was even one revolution or a series of loosely related rebellions and counter-rebellions is still an open question. In short, learning about the Mexican Revolution can be a mind-boggling task. Some places are better than others to start. Michael J. Gonzalez’s The Mexican Revolution 1910-1940 is one of the better entry points into this vast and overwhelming period of Latin American history.
As a historical text, this one reaches back into the 19th century, charting the rise of Porfirio Diaz. He can largely be credited with ushering Mexico into the modern age by introducing industrial technology into the country and embracing liberal, big business economic policy. While this benefited the wealthy class most, it also left the majority of Mexicans behind in poverty. The hacienda system of economic organization also disinherited some agriculturalists from their holdings. American businessmen and multinational corporations, especially oil companies, were given almost free access to Mexico’s natural resources. None of this benefited the Mexican people except for the well-connected oligarchs and technocrats. It is the old story of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Porfirio Diaz became more autocratic and dictatorial while the rest of the country went into economic decline.
A pro-democracy movement started with the Portuguese aristocrat Francisco I. Madero. The initial battles of the revolution started when the peasantry joined forces with members of the middle and upper classes to overthrow the Diaz regime. This inspired land reform movements led by Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata. After Madero’s assassination, the Huerta counter-revolutionary presidency took over. It was short lived and after the revolutionary conference of Aguascalientes, another landowner named Venustiano Carranza took office and established a new Mexican constitution. As the warfare wore down, leaders like Obregon, Calles, and Cardenas institutionalized the ideals of the Mexican Revolution although the Zapatista ideal of land reform that received so much support from the rural peasantry fell by the wayside. Mexico’s ruling party, the PRI, was established but, unfortunately sold out by becoming more autocratic and corrupt, allowing foreign corporations to access their resources once again though to the chagrin of the American empire, the PRI nationalized the oil fields. They continued making noises about pushing Mexico towards the status of a first world nation, but forward movement progressed only in bits and pieces. The PRI betrayed some of the dreams of the Mexican Revolution, but not all of them. The realization of that dream is yet to come.
Gonzalez’s analysis of the years following the end of revolutionary combat operations is one of this book’s strong points. A lot of books on this subject end with the political ascendancy of Obregon. It’s as if the forces set in motion by the revolution just abruptly stopped in 1920 according to many accounts. Of course, any student of history will tell you that isn’t a realistic way of looking at political upheavals. Otherwise this book is mostly a top down view of the Mexican Revolution meanng the emphasis is placed on politics at the governmental level. While the activism and leadership of Villa and Zapata are readily acknowledged, they take a back seat to what went on at the federal level. Villa’s stint as governor of Chihuahua is never even mentioned. Details of different battles are almost entirely left out and biographical information about key figures in the revolution is absent too. This book really just documents and summarizes the high points of the movement according to Gonzalez’s viewpoint. He does this in a way that is accessible, clear, and engaging though.
The Mexican Revolution 1910-1940 serves as an easy introduction to this pivotal conflict in Mexico’s modern history. It draws you in and prepares you for further reading from more in depth sources. It can also be of interest for those who already know about the Mexican Revolution and who the major figures were. It can clarify the intricate mess that more complete studies make it out to be. It can also be a good recap or refresher if you’ve previously read about it and want to get back into the subject matter after some time has passed. Michael J. Gonzalez has written a good functional book that doesn’t exhaust the subject matter but does prime you for more. The Mexican Revolution is a significant event in the formation of the Mexican national identity and understanding what went on will help you understand the roots of contemporary Mexico and their relations with the rest of the world, especially with the United States. This book is a good place to start.
As a historical text, this one reaches back into the 19th century, charting the rise of Porfirio Diaz. He can largely be credited with ushering Mexico into the modern age by introducing industrial technology into the country and embracing liberal, big business economic policy. While this benefited the wealthy class most, it also left the majority of Mexicans behind in poverty. The hacienda system of economic organization also disinherited some agriculturalists from their holdings. American businessmen and multinational corporations, especially oil companies, were given almost free access to Mexico’s natural resources. None of this benefited the Mexican people except for the well-connected oligarchs and technocrats. It is the old story of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Porfirio Diaz became more autocratic and dictatorial while the rest of the country went into economic decline.
A pro-democracy movement started with the Portuguese aristocrat Francisco I. Madero. The initial battles of the revolution started when the peasantry joined forces with members of the middle and upper classes to overthrow the Diaz regime. This inspired land reform movements led by Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata. After Madero’s assassination, the Huerta counter-revolutionary presidency took over. It was short lived and after the revolutionary conference of Aguascalientes, another landowner named Venustiano Carranza took office and established a new Mexican constitution. As the warfare wore down, leaders like Obregon, Calles, and Cardenas institutionalized the ideals of the Mexican Revolution although the Zapatista ideal of land reform that received so much support from the rural peasantry fell by the wayside. Mexico’s ruling party, the PRI, was established but, unfortunately sold out by becoming more autocratic and corrupt, allowing foreign corporations to access their resources once again though to the chagrin of the American empire, the PRI nationalized the oil fields. They continued making noises about pushing Mexico towards the status of a first world nation, but forward movement progressed only in bits and pieces. The PRI betrayed some of the dreams of the Mexican Revolution, but not all of them. The realization of that dream is yet to come.
Gonzalez’s analysis of the years following the end of revolutionary combat operations is one of this book’s strong points. A lot of books on this subject end with the political ascendancy of Obregon. It’s as if the forces set in motion by the revolution just abruptly stopped in 1920 according to many accounts. Of course, any student of history will tell you that isn’t a realistic way of looking at political upheavals. Otherwise this book is mostly a top down view of the Mexican Revolution meanng the emphasis is placed on politics at the governmental level. While the activism and leadership of Villa and Zapata are readily acknowledged, they take a back seat to what went on at the federal level. Villa’s stint as governor of Chihuahua is never even mentioned. Details of different battles are almost entirely left out and biographical information about key figures in the revolution is absent too. This book really just documents and summarizes the high points of the movement according to Gonzalez’s viewpoint. He does this in a way that is accessible, clear, and engaging though.
The Mexican Revolution 1910-1940 serves as an easy introduction to this pivotal conflict in Mexico’s modern history. It draws you in and prepares you for further reading from more in depth sources. It can also be of interest for those who already know about the Mexican Revolution and who the major figures were. It can clarify the intricate mess that more complete studies make it out to be. It can also be a good recap or refresher if you’ve previously read about it and want to get back into the subject matter after some time has passed. Michael J. Gonzalez has written a good functional book that doesn’t exhaust the subject matter but does prime you for more. The Mexican Revolution is a significant event in the formation of the Mexican national identity and understanding what went on will help you understand the roots of contemporary Mexico and their relations with the rest of the world, especially with the United States. This book is a good place to start.
July 22, 2019
I read this book to complement my knowledge of the Mexican Revolution that my Grandma lived through and told me about. The book reads like a textbook, so it took me a long time to complete. This book detailed the political unrest that existed then and continues today. Pancho Villa on the cover fuels my anger but forces me to remember that he and his men slaughtered my family's neighbors and cousins and meant to kill my Grandma's family too, but by the grace of God and the luck of a semi-secret flag, they lived to tell the story and live long, fruitful lives. Mr. Gonzales' book reminds me that the government will sway back and forth time and time again, so take care of your own and help others.
In Memory of Tio Trini, "murdered by a politician".
In Memory of Tio Trini, "murdered by a politician".
September 28, 2024
Neither the Mexican Revolutionaries nor the Roman Catholic Church walked away from this one looking very shiny… yikes. The whole revolutionary project just screams hypocrisy. The Porfirian elites enslaved the natives and stole their land so that the glorious and humane Marxist revolutionaries could use them as front line fodder and lead them on with empty promises of “land and liberty.” But hey at least oil production increased👍. One story among many of unbelievable but endlessly ironic brutality from a bunch of atheists who think the church is their biggest problem.
“Scientific socialism” heals social woes like sulfuric acid for a sunburn.
“Scientific socialism” heals social woes like sulfuric acid for a sunburn.
March 27, 2022
For some reason I found this book intimidating but I'm not sure why. Gonzales writes an inherently readable chronicle of the events surrounding and including the messy Mexican Revolution. The book reads like a textbook but in a good way. He has clearly done his research and presented in an easily consumable fashion for those interested in the topic. Although I wished for a slightly different, more lyrical and reflective perhaps, tone I did learn that there is so much more to this history that I did not know and now want to know.
January 18, 2023
This is a useful book, I guess, but incredibly dry and dull. It should be possible to tell this story in a more exciting way. Covering the full period up to 1940 is good, but comes at the cost of human detail; the book's greatest failure is that it doesn't even motivate you to care - which is crazy when you're dealing with events that inspired high passion in their time.
December 10, 2021
Overview of the Revolution, mostly with a focus on the 1910-1920 period. Solid telling of the history, but a little dry at times and not a whole lot of discussion of the back 20 years of the timeframe outlined in the book's title.
March 24, 2019
History books aren't my thing.
August 7, 2007
Unless you have to read this for class then I would not recommend doing so. Like so many historical books the author loses site of any narrative and at times only list facts in a drole and long list.
September 23, 2009
Great book!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews