Doc 4.1 Porfirio Diaz, Hero of the Americas
In this excerpt, Porfirio Diaz, the President who served Mexico for 40 years, is described as the man who set the Mexican people free. After centuries of Spanish cruelty and greed, he established order and through that progress in Mexico. He created a “modern” Mexico, and as a result was named as a Heroic figure to his people.
In his 40 years of presidency, he managed to increase foreign trade and investment in Mexico, with the hope to become modern and see positive results from socio-economic growth, and at the same time benefit the local people. The creation of a middle-class was necessary in order for him to do this, and to forget about the past where the local people were treated miserably by the colonial states. Mexico was to cease war, and learn how to work and pay their debts, although they were unfair.
Porfirio Diaz expanded and improved education, from 4,850 schools to 12,000 (1 million pupils), creating a stronger, more educated middle-class. Although many believed his long-term presidency was due to his self-interest, he claims that his job was not his private property, it was rather his job to serve his people after being elected by them, and this was a privilege to him.
It is interesting that you talk about modernisation and how Diaz helped and improved Mexican society. This document very much offers a one sided, positive view of Diaz’s presidency. It would good to learn about the negative aspects of his reign in order to get a overall view of the development of Mexican society.
The problem is there are not my writers or scholars who actually focused on the negative aspects because as I believe, most of the Mexican people favoured him which is the reason for several re-elections where he was re-chosen as a president. It would be interesting indeed.