Week Thirteen
Consolidating the Revolution, 1920-1940
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I. Reconstructing a "Nation of Laws," 1920-34

1. No re-election?

- Obregón 1920-24; re-elected 1928 but assassinated
- Plutarco Elías Calles 1924-34: The "Maximato"

2. Demilitarization

- Pancho Villa assassinated 1923, final rebellions put down
- implementation of 1917 Constitution
- Partido Nacional Revolucionario (PNR) founded 1929

3. Education and mestizaje

- José Vasconcelos: The Cosmic Race (1925)
- Calles implements anti-clerical articles of Constitution (1926), secular free education

4. The counterrevolutionary church

- The Cristero War, 1926-1929; Obregón assassination 1928
- Calles makes peace w/ U.S. help, 1929

 

II. The Lázaro Cárdenas presidency, 1934-40

1. Agrarian reform; ejidos

2. Socialist education to 1938:

national culture: civic festivals, indigenismo muralistas: Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo
science + technical training
local organizing

3. Nationalization of oil industry (Petróleos Mexicanos/PEMEX), 1938

4. Political consolidation

- 1936, expulsion of Calles
- 1938, PRN replaced by PRM (Partido Revolucionario Mexicano): labor, military, agrarian, popular representatives
- 1939, opposition Partido de Acción Nacional (PAN) founded
- hand-picked PRM candidate, more conservative, wins 1939 election