Page:Margaret Shipman - Mexico's Struggle Towards Democracy (1927).pdf/21

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issued by one of his military adherents. The main points of the "Plan de Tuxtepec" were denunciation of Lerdo, demand for his retirement, allegiance to the constitution, and demand for constitutional amendments, establishing effective suffrage, and non-re-election of president and state governors. Lerdo was able to hold revolts in check for several months, but finally his forces were defeated by those of Diaz. Iglesias, Justice of the Supreme Court, claimed the presidency by legal succession, negotiated with Diaz, and finally advanced to fight him with superior forces. These, however, rapidly deserted to the more popular leader. In November, Diaz entered the capital and his reign of thirty years began.[1]

5. RESULTS OF THE REVOLUTION.

The chief results of the revolution were (A) declined in the power of the church and the old feudal aristocracy; (B) rise of the new capitalistic aristocracy; (C) crystallization and promulgation of the revolutionary ideas embodies in the constitution of 1857.

The economic power of the church was wrecked by the revolution, and loss of economic power very largely destroyed its political and social control. With it fell the old feudalism of which it was the bulwark. No ecclesiastical courts and very few monastic orders were ever re-established. Under Diaz, the church was allowed to evade constitutional prohibitions, and thus regained some land and power, but it never again became the dominant element in Mexican life.[2]


  1. Priestley, Op. Cit., pp. 871–73. Gutierrez de Lara, Op. Cit., pp. 275–90.
  2. Beals, Mexico, pp. 41–44.

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