For this week Dr. Gannon allowed us to teach the class and to dissect the different areas of the Porfirian government. We divided up and covered economy, relations with the United States and other foreign powers, politics under Diaz, and Mexico’s indigenous peoples during the Porfiriato.

When it came to the indigenous people many of the Spanish viewed the Indians as racially inferior. Therefore under Diaz he sought to bring the Indians into the general population or rather assimilate them in. But the problem was one group the Yaqui Indians desired to stay away from Mexican society. This led to uprising and wars that caused further problems and chaos in Mexico.

Politically Diaz met political opposition with ‘pan o palo’ or bread or beating. If someone was resisting Diaz’s rule he would try to buy them out, but if they refused, they could end up disappearing. Socially there was a wide variety of classes under Diaz’s rule. Although the leader sought to do things for the country that would eventually cause wealth to sprinkle down the poorest people his plan was not always successful.

I think Diaz did a lot of good for Mexico in that he did help Mexico to establish itself and gain its place in its interaction with other world powers. Diaz was able to attract foreign investors and to increase the number of exports that were sent from Mexico to the United States. Because he did this he was able to get the finances he needed to industrialize Mexico. Under his leadership he had railroads built, communication lines, and banks established that played a key role in removing the boundaries placed on commerce.

At the end of class however the main question that we were left to consider was, did Diaz do good for Mexico or was his policies and goals bad for Mexico. I don’t think historians can rule out the good Diaz did for Mexico. When it comes down to it he did help Mexico to gain its place in the world. He had good ideas and good plans for the country. I believe he truly wanted to see Mexico prosper and he helped it in many ways to get to that point by urbanizing it and putting the country in a position where it could trade more successfully.

 

But there clearly were some injustices and flaws to his policies. Like many other leaders I think at times he allowed his goals and vision for Mexico to cause him to ignore and not consider the needs neither the wants of the people. For example he wanted to bring the people of Mexico, but because he did not consider the wants of the Yaqui Indians who had felt disconnected to the rest of Mexico and had been living their own lives. But he ignored their wishes and it led to riots and death, such as the Mazocoba massacre. Not to mention his economic policies led to debt and made Mexico dependent on other countries. Like I said I think he really had good plans for Mexico, but like most people he made mistakes and was so determined to accomplish what he wanted for Mexico that he ignored some of the things and people he should have paid attention to.