The Mexican industrial revolution and its problems : Porfirian labor policy and economic dependency, 1876-1910

A capable and forceful individual, Porfirio Díaz carried the liberal effort to convert Mexico into an industrial nation forward to its sought after goal of greater national productivity. To accomplish that goal his regime actively promoted foreign investment, vigilantly safeguarded the capitalist ventures, and conscientiously sought to destroy barriers to the expansion of industrial capitalism in Mexico. One of the most important consequences of industrialization was the emergence of an industrial work force as an important part of Mexican society. Containment of industrial labor was an imperative of the mode of economic development undertaken by the regime. In his attempt to contain labor Díaz encouraged collaboration and employed persuasion more often and more effectively than brute force and relied heavily upon labor moderates to police the labor movement. The success of Porfirian labor policy depended greatly upon a healthy economy. An economic crisis after 1898, brought on by national economic dependency, resulted in the repudiation of moderates and the resurgence of labor radicalism. Although the bloody violence at Río Blanco was not generally characteristic of Porfirian labor policy, it did signal its failure.