End of Revolution

The exact end of the "revolutionary period" is open to debate. From a strictly military standpoint it ended with the death of the Constitutional Army's primer jefe (First Chief) Venustiano Carranza in 1919, and the ascension to power of General Alvaro Obregon, but bloodshed and revolts continued through the Cristero Wars of 1926-1929. Effective implementation of the social provisions of the 1917 Constitution of Mexico, and a near total end to revolutionary activity, awaited the administration of Lazaro Cardenas(1934-1940). Cardenas also abolished capital punishment (better known in Mexico as el fusilado, a firing squad), effective control of the republic by Cardenas and the PRM without need for summary executions was an indication that the revolutionary period was at its end. In 1940, Cardenas voluntarily relinquished all power to his successor Manuel Avila Camacho, an unprecedented event in Mexican history. In 1942, Avila Camacho and all living exPresidents appeared on stage in the Mexico City Zocalo, in front of the Palacio Nacional, to encourage the Mexican people to support the Americans and British in World War II. This demonstration of political solidarity between diverse elements effectively signalled the true end of the Revolution, although Mexican politicians and political parties continue to employ the name of the Revolution in their political rhetoric.

Introduction

The country was engulfed in civil war, as several political and armed groups fought each other for control of the country. A major step towards the end of armed conflict involved the promulgation of the present constitution of Mexico in 1917, the official end of the Revolution. Nonetheless, conflict and political unrest such as the Cristero War persisted up to the late 1920s.

In 1936, president Lázaro Cárdenas arrested and deported Plutarco Elías Calles, the ex-president whose continuing political power had overshadowed the 3 intervening presidents. This act would mark the beginning of post-revolutionary Mexico, characterized by the rule of the Partido Nacional Revolucionario founded by Elías Calles in 1929, later known as the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI).

The Mexican Revolution should not be confused with the Mexican civil war (known as la guerra civil or War of Reform) of Benito Juarez of the 1850s, or the Mexican War of Independence of 1810-1821. While the Revolution was, technically speaking, a type of civil war, in Spanish language historical documents the conflict is almost invariably referred to as la revolución mexicana, in order to distinguish it from the earlier Reform War.


The Mexican Revolution was a social and cultural movement which brought the beginning of changes in Mexico. The revolution started as a rebellion against the Mexican President Porfirio Díaz. His regime not only accepted the involvement of the United States in Mexican life but also centered on expanding the Mexican economy. If successful, this would have eventually classified Mexico as a capitalist country.

Francisco Madero, Emiliano Zapata, Pancho Villa and Venustiano Carranza were all important individuals in the revolution because of the roles they played in the success of the revolution in Mexico.

The effects of the Díaz regime were greatly felt in agrarian land reform. Under Porfirio Díaz laws had been implemented which gave foreign investors the title of large sections of land which had been considered the property of the people of Mexico. The Mexican Revolution saw new agrarian land laws passed to give this land back to the people.

The involvement of women in the Mexican Revolution was substantial, especially in light of the way they were regarded in the early 20th century. During the revolution many women took an active part in politics and in life on the battlefields. The United States also played a vital role in the events of the Mexican Revolution. Early on it sought to stabilize the Díaz government to ensure that relations between the two countries would remain stable. This would also ensure that foreign trade between the two countries would remain. United States involvement in the Mexican Revolution began as monitoring the revolution and ended in military intervention against Huerta and in favor of the revolutionaries, ensuring the success of the Carranza regime and the new Constitution. Furthermore, the Mexican Revolution influenced the United States with an increase in immigrants from Mexico to the U.S. and their push for change in Mexico from across the border.

The role of the Mexican Catholic Church during the Revolution is also an important aspect because of the many transformations it takes. The Roman Catholic Church in Mexico has a very influential role during the course of Mexican history. This role was greatly altered during the course of the revolution.

The youth movement in any revolution is important because youth are seen as the future of a nation. In Mexico, many university students were anti-revolutionaries.

Mexican culture, such as cinema, music and literature was also a driving factor in gaining support during the revolution. Mexican nationalism was an evident theme among most music, cinema and literature because of the way it could persuade people to join the fight.