The middle class, under Diaz, had attained education and a moderate degree of economic prosperity, but was small numerically and stifled politically. Many of its members were lawyers and other professionals who served the ruling class. Another section of the lower middle class were the rancheros, owners of relatively small land holdings, usually tilled by and supporting a single family. Many of these ranchos were formed by the breaking up of the ejidos and by acquisition of public lands under the homestead law of 1863. Some of these holdings were absorbed by the large land owners during the latter part of the Diaz regime, but on the whole, their number was considerably increased between 1876 and 1910. The rancheros, being in fairly comfortable circumstances, were a conservative rather than a revolutionary force.[1]
According to the census of 1910, three million people still tilled the soil as serfs and with their dependents formed at least ten million inhabitants, two-thirds of the total population of Mexico.[2] It was this class who fought the battles of the revolution.
Workers in mines and factories were less than 60,000.[3] Railroad workers numbered 30,000 or 40,000. The few unions organized prior to 1910 had no power, importance, or inter-relations.[4] The industrial workers participated in the Madero uprising passionately, but without definite constructive aim.
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