What was the Porfiriana Peace?

The Paz porfiriana Is the way Porfirio Diaz exercised power in Mexico for more than 30 years. This stage was characterized by a peace sponsored by repression and fear, faced with the disorder and wars that Mexico was constantly living.

In 1876, Porfirio Diaz defeated President Lerdo de Tejada in the Battle of Tuxtepec And months later, he was elected president of Mexico. Diaz had revealed against re-election, however, he was re-elected seven times.

Porfirio Díaz's first years of government, known as"Porfiriana peace", are marked by good investments in economic matters, with its main motto"Order, peace, stability and progress."

Economic policies led Mexico to have a strong and stable economy, in fact, one of the goals was for the peso to cost more than the dollar.

The period of Porfirio was not constant and during three opportunities lost the government. From 1876 to 1911, one of two months and from 1880 to 1884, being one of the reasons for its rupture with power the discontent of L Mexican people by the massacres and the assaults to the power by armies of montonera.

Porfirio Díaz set out to achieve peace, stability and prosperity no matter the cost. A task that was especially complex in view of the fact that there was no strong army and the debts were enormous.

This situation has sometimes become unsustainable, leading, for example, to the flight of foreign investment.

Porfirian peace - then - was based on the elimination of political differences between the different parties and groups. "Little politics and much administration"was one of his most famous slogans and is still remembered today.

The peace was obtained by means of the military crushing of who tried to revolt. The expected stability was achieved and the order brought to Mexico the possibility of work, which was translated in a short time into economic development and introduction of investment of foreign companies.

Prosperity under Porfirian peace

The period in which Porfirio Diaz governed the country carried out important works in several ports and constructed more than 20,000 kilometers in railroads. The railroads were destined for the ports and the border with the United States.

This gave great vitality to internal and external trade. Telegraphs spread throughout the national territory and banks were established to organize the state finances.

With these advances, the communications and finance sector began to function correctly for the first time.

Porfirio Diaz.

Another of the fundamental measures was the collection of taxes, which contributed to pay the debt of Mexico with its international creditors. In states like Yucatan and Morelos, agriculture progressed enormously in crops such as henequen, sugar cane and cotton.

During the Porfirian peace, Mexico experienced an unprecedented economic growth in its history. It is called as the first period of reconstruction and national unity.

However, prosperity and growth did not directly affect the lives of the poorest, while the rich and the foreigners made big gains, inequality grew enormously and the poor remained the overwhelming majority.

One of the negative aspects of prosperity was not only the growing social inequality, but the tendency of landowners to accumulate land.

Major achievements of the Porfirio government

• More than 19,000 km of railroad tracks: almost all of northern Mexico was crossed by trains which gave vitality to communications and commerce.
• Foreign capital investments: with the arrival of political stability began to arrive foreign-funded companies that injected resources and strength into the weak economy that Porfirio received.
• Telegraph network: a vast network of telegraphs was set up which stimulated communications and made the government's offices more efficient. The telegraph network was one of the most modern in the continent for the moment.
• National production: agriculture and manufacturing also saw light during the period of Porfirian peace. The first raw material processing and tequila processing plants were installed.
• The first banks were founded: the finances were finally put in order with the operation of the banks. Previous to this the finances and the debts of country did not have any type of order.
• Culture: it was possible to advance in the sciences, arts and technique in great part. During the Porfirian peace, academies, museums, theaters and important scientific associations were founded. The influence of French culture and art was one of the most predominant.
• Stability was achieved: perhaps it was the foundation that cemented the growth of economic activity and created a truly strong state.

Centralism

Although the initial ideal of Porfirio Diaz was to reject re-election, violent tradition and all forms of tyrannical government, in practice he was the main architect of a huge centralism that annulled-to a large extent- the power of judges and autonomy of the provinces .

Porfirio eliminated the independence of the judges from the president. It also limited freedom of the press and of expression, an issue that criticized of previous governments.

The Porfirian peace gradually became a government that limited liberties and centralized all power in their hands.

Although the constitution established Mexico as a federal state, in practice it was confined to a centralist state.

It is known that Porfirio was advised and influenced by prominent intellectuals of positivism like Justo Sierra, Jose Ives and Francisco Bulnes.

Journalist James Creelman succeeded in interviewing Porfirio Diaz in 1908 and questioning him about his constant re-election, to which Diaz replied that Mexico was ready to have free elections.

These statements encouraged many to create political parties and prepare for the lessons of 1910.

Although he had said this, he was re-elected again but it was impossible to stop the desire for elections and greater freedoms.

References

1. Contributors Wkibooks (2016) History of Mexico / El Porfiriato (1877-1911) Retrieved from: wikibooks.org.
2. Covarrubias, S. (2003) Echoes and bronzes of peace porfiriana Editorial LA RANA. Mexico.
3. Garner, P. (2014) Porfirio Díaz. Editorial PLANETA. Mexico.
4. Gómez, J. (1981) Porfirio Díaz, The Intellectuals and the Revolution. Editorial Reviews. Mexico.
5. Ilyan, S. (2016) La Paz Porfiriana and the centralization of power. Recovered from: restauracionrepublica1.blogspot.com.
6. Tello, C. (2015) Porfirio Díaz: His life and his time. The War 1830-1867. Editorial DEBATE. Mexico.
7. Venegas, J. (2015) The"Porfirista Peace". Retrieved from: blogdesecundaria.wordpress.com.