Blogs

With the turn of the twentieth century in Mexico, social forces that had long been oppressed by Porfirio Diaz’s regime saw in his promise for fair elections in 1910, an opportunity to act. What becomes clear, however, is that those emerging social movements are not as homogenous, hierarchically organized nor as experienced in governance as the existing regime. Though these various actors in the Mexican Revolution could agree that something should change, what, and how things should change was far from consensus. Does an increasing political consciousness among peasant and...read more read full post >>

I really love your idea of comparing the modern notion of networking to the caudillo system! I think networking in modern society is accepted but there are also times when it is looked down upon. For instance, if someone is given a job over another person who is more qualified, merely because they "know the right people". Networking to get a job is only viewed acceptable when the person is qualified for the job and deserves it I think, otherwise there would be backlash. Which is why I think the caudillo system may also be view as corrupt and unfair, because your survival and power depend on who you know. Rather than, in an ideal society, everyone has equal opportunities and can work to achieve their desired goals with the same level of difficulty as everyone else. But I think discussing the morals of the caudillo system is unnecessary, because we do not live in an ideal world where morals can be black and white and everyone does the right thing. When people are prioritizing their families and survival, they will always choose the corrupt system that provides them with what they need over the "morally better" system that leaves them starving. read full post >>

This week took into consideration the different results that modernization and the export boom brought about. It was interesting to think about the different reasons behind a revolutionary movement and who decides to call a movement “successful”. More importantly, and Dawson makes the point, the revolutions, or social/economic/political movements in Latin America did not distribute […] read full post >>

This week took into consideration the different results that modernization and the export boom brought about. It was interesting to think about the different reasons behind a revolutionary movement and who decides to call a movement “successful”. More importantly, and Dawson makes the point, the revolutions, or social/economic/political movements in Latin America did not distribute […] read full post >>

This week discussed the revolution in Mexico and the characteristics of a revolutionary revolt. I like how Dawson in the reading first addressed the fact that concept of “modernity” didn’t benefit entire populations, hence there was a large amount of latin american population who were unhappy with their nations. Furthermore, this concept of desiring a […] read full post >>

“The revolution eats its young.” Before watching the interview for this week, this was a phrase I had never encountered. I was always taught that revolutions are often necessary, as they result from trying times. I was always taught that revolutions require sacrifice and effort, both of which will be rewarded upon the (eventual) dawn… Continue reading Revolution → read full post >>

It seems that every nation has had a revolution and that this internal crisis is like a rite of passage... read full post >>

This week we looked at the political unrest that ensued after the publishing of Creelman’s interview with Diaz. In the interview, Diaz declares that he would not run for re-election, yet he ends up running and fraudulently winning, igniting the Mexican Revolution. This lasted for over a decade, claimed around a million lives and saw […] read full post >>

This week we looked at the political unrest that ensued after the publishing of Creelman’s interview with Diaz. In the interview, Diaz declares that he would not run for re-election, yet he ends up running and fraudulently winning, igniting the Mexican Revolution. This lasted for over a decade, claimed around a million lives and saw […] read full post >>

Signs of Crisis in a Gilded Age Alec Dawson states that the concept of a revolution is the claim of ownership of history, endeavoring to shape a view of the past that organizes the power in the past. In the … Continue reading → read full post >>