State Governors in the Mexican Revolution, 1910-1952: Portraits in Conflict, Courage, and Corruption (Latin American Silhouettes)

This unique volume examines revolutionary Mexico's state governors-the most significant intermediaries between the national government and the people it ruled. Leading scholars study governors from ten different states of Mexico during the eventful first half of the twentieth century to demonstrate the diversity of the governors' experiences over time, as well as the waxing and waning of strong governorship as an institution that disappeared in the powerful national regime created in the 1940s and 1950s. The only book that considers the state governors in comparative perspective, this invaluable study offers a fresh view of regionalism and the Revolution. This unique book traces Mexico's eventful years from 1910 to 1952 through the experiences of its state governors. During this seminal period, revolutionaries destroyed the old regime, created a new national government, built an official political party, and then discarded in practice the essence of their revolution. In this tumultuous time, governors—some of whom later became president—served as the most significant intermediaries between the national government and the people it ruled. Leading scholars study governors from ten different states to demonstrate the diversity of the governors' experiences implementing individual revolutionary programs over time, as well as the waxing and waning of strong governorship as an institution that ultimately disappeared in the powerful national regime created in the 1940s and 1950s. Until that time, the contributors convincingly argue, the governors provided the revolution with invaluable versatility by dealing with pressing issues of land, labor, housing, and health at the local and regional levels. The flexibility of state governors also offered test cases for the implementation of national revolutionary laws and campaigns. The only book that considers the state governors in comparative perspective, this invaluable study offers a fresh view of regionalism and the Revolution. Contributions by: William H. Beezley, Jürgen Buchenau, Francie R. Chassen-López, Michael A. Ervin, María Teresa Fernández Aceves, Paul Gillingham, Kristin A. Harper, Timothy Henderson, David LaFrance, Stephen E. Lewis, Stephanie J. Smith, and Andrew Grant Wood. The Role Of State Governors In The Mexican Revolution / William H. Beezley -- Benito Juárez Maza Of Oaxaca : A Revolutionary Governor? / Francie R. Chassen-lópez -- Salvador Alvarado Of Yucatán : Revolutionary Reforms, Revolutionary Women / Stephanie J. Smith -- Plutarco Elías Calles Of Sonora : A Mexican Jacobin / Jürgen Buchenau -- Adalberto Tejada Of Veracruz : Radicalism And Reaction / Andrew Grant Wood -- José Guadalupe Zuno Hernández And The Revolutionary Process In Jalisco / María Teresa Fernández Aceves -- Tomás Garrido Canabal Of Tabasco : Road Building And Revolutionary Reform / Kristin A. Harper -- Marte R. Gómez Of Tamaulipas : Governing Agrarian Revolution / Michael A. Ervin -- Efraín Gutiérrez Of Chiapas : The Revolutionary Bureaucrat / Stephen E. Lewis -- Maximino Avila Camacho Of Puebla / Timothy Henderson And David Lafrance -- Baltasar Leyva Mancilla Of Guerrero : Learning Hegemony / Paul Gillingham. Edited By Jürgen Buchenau And William H. Beezley. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "This volume examines revolutionary Mexico's state governors - the most significant intermediaries between the national government and the people it ruled. Leading scholars study governors from ten different states of Mexico during the eventful first half of the twentieth century to demonstrate the diversity of the governors' experiences over time, as well as the waxing and waning of strong governorship as an institution that disappeared in the powerful national regime created in the 1940s and 1950s. The only book that considers the state governors in comparative perspective, this invaluable study offers a fresh view of regionalism and the Revolution."--BOOK JACKET