MEXICAN CULTURAL REVOLUTION
CELEBRATE TODAY THROUGH THIS SATURDAY
The Mexican Revolution a century ago shaped Mexico.
The Mexican Revolution (1910-1917) began as an armed struggle against the perpetuation in power of General Porfirio Díaz, and then turned into a civil war between factions fighting for an authentic social revolution. At the beginning of the 20th century, most Mexicans lived in very precarious conditions and productive activities such as agriculture, cattle ranching or mining, were still based on feudal systems, whilst in the cities the workers were exploited and without basic labor rights. Initially, groups that fought for political and social rights allied to overthrow the dictator, but after achieving this objective, they divided and fought a guerrilla war that led to one of the most convulsive times in Mexican history. It is estimated that more than a million perished during this period, and profound political and social instability was unleashed as a result of this armed conflict. However, the Mexican Revolution also represented enormous social advances and consolidated the vision of a modern Mexico, giving as its main result the Constitution of 1917. This was a pioneering document in which the recognition of social and labor rights emanating from French liberalism was reflected. The Constitution of 1917 collected for the first time in the history of the world constitutionalism, the true social, worker and peasant demands of the most vulnerable in society. For this reason, the Revolution changed the course of the country forever, consolidating a new, and more progressive social vision, which a century later continues to guide the development of the Mexican nation. From the revolutionary feat, a new Mexican identity emerged in all areas of national life. The vision of a proud indigenous past was recovered, and the idea that three centuries of European colonialism gave rise to a new society and culture arose, the direct result of miscegenation. This new Mexican identity, the beauty of the native landscapes, the complexity of its history and the emerging society, were immortalized in the art and works of great painters such as Gerardo Murillo “Dr. Atl”, Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, Frida Kahlo and Rufino Tamayo. Likewise, the epic of the Mexican people and the struggles of the workers and peasants for a better life were forever captured in the monumental murals of José Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. For this reason, on November 20th, Mexicans celebrate with great pride the anniversary of the beginning of this milestone that redraw and shaped the vision of the incipient Mexican nation.
