Caudillo and Peasant in the Mexican Revolution

Cambridge Latin American Studies #38

by David A. Brading (Editor)

Until quite recently, the Mexican Revolution was usually defined as an agrarian movement, as a peasant war, with Emiliano Zapata, leader of the villagers of Morelos, taken as its most typical figure. Yet this interpretation leaves many questions unanswered. It ignores the sheer diversity in both regional background and social goals of the revolutionary forces. It does not explain why the partition of the great estates and effective land distribution was delayed until the 1930s, almost two decades after the cessation of hostilities. More important, it fails to account for the emergence of a one party political system, in which the resources of the state are concentrated on industrialization and economic growth. This book consists of case-studies and general perspectives, all based on research, which follow the careers of several caudillos, some conservative, some progressive, with the aim of analysing the means by which these revolutionary chieftains first obtained power and then promoted or opposed the authority of the national state.

328 pages, Hardcover

First published July 31, 1980

Reviews

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Fredric Katz's essay, "Pancho Villa, Peasant Movements, and Agrarian Reform in Northern
Mexico."
In this essay Katz deals with the question of whether or not Pancho Villa truly cared about the peasant population and whether or not he intended on distributing the land. He presents this controversial issue with an unbiased view, as he objectively compares Villa’s promises with Villa’s reality. Katz speaks on how Villa seemed to truly care for those suffereing; establishing a fixed price of meat, seeing orphans cared for; along with making sure tha the needs of army widows or orphans were met. However, Katz concludes that within those two years; Villa did redistribute the area, but not exactly how he declared he would. Unlike other writers, Katz sees evidence that Villa intended in giving the peasants true agarian reform, pointing out several examples that shows that Villa might have on the path of doing this; but lost control of the city before completing any massive social reform.