Porfirio Diaz Biography
Porfirio Diaz was born Sept. 15, 1830, Oaxaca, Mexico;
died July 2, 1915, Paris. President of Mexico (1877–80, 1884–1911),
Porfirio Diaz was a mestizo (part Indian) of humble origin. At 15 he started
training for the priesthood at 15, but joined the army at 16 when a two year war
broke out with the United States. Diaz then studied law for a few years, with
the encouragement of Benito Juarez, a soon-to-be president. Diaz then
settled into a military career. During the next two decades, he took part in
the War of the Reform and fought against the French.
In 1871, after resigning his command, Porfirio Diaz led an unsuccessful protest against the 1871 re-election of Juarez, who died the following year. Díaz also led an unsuccessful revolt against President Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada in 1876, and fled to the United States. But he returned six months later and defeated the government forces at the Battle of Tecoac. In May 1877 he was formally elected president.
For 26 years Porfirio Diaz ran an orderly, military government. He made it so that public employees answered directly to him, and the legislature was composed of his friends. The press was silenced. He played off one interest group against another and won the mestizos' support by giving them jobs. The privileged Creole classes remained cooperative because of Diaz's non-interference in their haciendas; and he gave them positions of honour. The Roman Catholic Church remained non-involved in return for a certain degree of freedom. The Indians, a third of the population, were ignored.
When Porfirio Díaz came to power, the Mexican government was in debt with little cash reserves, so he encouraged investment by foreigners. Mexican industries and workers both suffered. Foreigners flooded in to build railroads and bridges, dig mines, and increase agriculture. Profits went abroad or to a few wealthy Mexicans. By 1910 the economy had declined, revenues were shrinking, and borrowing was necessary. Wages decreased, and strikes were frequent. Many Mexican workers sank into extreme poverty.
Porfirio Diaz allowed Francisco Madero, an aristocrat, to run against him in a democratic election. Madero lost the election, but then resorted to a military revolution. The government proved surprisingly weak and collapsed, perhaps because Diaz was wanting to resign anyway. Díaz resigned office on May 25, 1911, and went into exile.
In 1871, after resigning his command, Porfirio Diaz led an unsuccessful protest against the 1871 re-election of Juarez, who died the following year. Díaz also led an unsuccessful revolt against President Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada in 1876, and fled to the United States. But he returned six months later and defeated the government forces at the Battle of Tecoac. In May 1877 he was formally elected president.
For 26 years Porfirio Diaz ran an orderly, military government. He made it so that public employees answered directly to him, and the legislature was composed of his friends. The press was silenced. He played off one interest group against another and won the mestizos' support by giving them jobs. The privileged Creole classes remained cooperative because of Diaz's non-interference in their haciendas; and he gave them positions of honour. The Roman Catholic Church remained non-involved in return for a certain degree of freedom. The Indians, a third of the population, were ignored.
When Porfirio Díaz came to power, the Mexican government was in debt with little cash reserves, so he encouraged investment by foreigners. Mexican industries and workers both suffered. Foreigners flooded in to build railroads and bridges, dig mines, and increase agriculture. Profits went abroad or to a few wealthy Mexicans. By 1910 the economy had declined, revenues were shrinking, and borrowing was necessary. Wages decreased, and strikes were frequent. Many Mexican workers sank into extreme poverty.
Porfirio Diaz allowed Francisco Madero, an aristocrat, to run against him in a democratic election. Madero lost the election, but then resorted to a military revolution. The government proved surprisingly weak and collapsed, perhaps because Diaz was wanting to resign anyway. Díaz resigned office on May 25, 1911, and went into exile.