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Unrecognized Participation of Women in Mexican Revolution (1910-1920)
Shilpi Gupta,
Published in
2014
Volume: 2
   
Issue: 1
Pages: 81 - 83
Abstract
Mexican Revolution is perhaps one of the most important revolutions that have taken place in recent history because it was not a revolution led by factions battling for government control, or the bourgeoisie thinkers developing new ideas. Instead, it was a revolution led by simple men rising up and asserting their fundamental rights and succeeding. It is considered to be the first successful third world revolutions. However, the other side of this revolution was that it proved itself to be a fight of male dominance which already existed in the country since its long back Aztec civilization. That's why even Mexican historians recognized and recorded only the participation of male fighters and soldiers by praising their machismo. It happened at the cost of non-acknowledgement of the participation of women in the struggle. Women participated in the revolution female soldiers, propagandists, intellectuals, writers and contributors to the economy. They fought not only against the authoritarian government but they also struggled for their female identity which finally let them realize about their rights. Introduction: Mexico has long been a country where male dominance and female subordination command society. Machismo, strong male dominance, hembrismo and extreme female submissions have their roots in the Aztec culture and the Spanish conquest of Mexico. The Spanish colonial experience was greatly oppressive to native Mexican women. The disparity between the sexes that already existed was increased by differences in caste and race [6, page3]. This research paper is going to focus on Mexican revolution, which started after hundred years of Mexican independence, with its main motive to highlight the participation and situation of women during the crucial time of civil war (1910-20). This revolution was against Porfirio Diaz who was ruling Mexico since 1876. The tenure of Porfirio Diaz in Mexican history is known for modernization but it was at the expense of racism, xenophobia, starvation, repression and exploitation of masses [3, Page 143-60]. Hence the revolution primarily insisted on the need for agrarian reform, maximum hours of work, improving wages and working conditions of rural and urban workers. Not only that, it was also the first of the great revolutions in the colonial and dependent world in which the laboring masses played a major part. Besides that, the revolution also called for educational reform, decentralization of education system, restoration of municipal autonomy and protection of the indigenous race. Moreover, it also demanded a strong economic nationalism. Due to all these reasons, Mexican Revolution is considered significant. Involvement of women in the Mexican revolution: In the 10 years of civil war of the Mexican revolution, between 1910 and 1920, as many as 2 million people or one out of every eight Mexicans were killed. This revolution created new political structures and destroyed the old one. Privilege of the creole was abolished and Mexico was proclaimed as a mestizo nation. The revolution gave Mexicans a sense of national pride and a deeply held appreciation for their own culture, called mexicanidad. However, in this context, recognition of the contribution of women in the revolution is still largely overlooked and not fully acknowledged in the Mexican history. Women in Mexican revolution played very significant role as nurse, propagandists and soldaderas. Following are the three sections giving details about the different role of women in the Mexican revolution.
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