Eleanor Finch
The Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, also known as the Mexican Constitution, was drafted during the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) and approved in 1917. It established a federal presidential representative democratic republic with a multi-party congressional system. The Mexican Revolution overthrew the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz, and the subsequent regime can be considered a semi-authoritarian political model. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) held sway over Mexican life for 71 years, until 2000, when Vicente Fox Quesada of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) was elected. Since then, Mexico has been characterized by multi-party participation, with different parties competing in Congress and key democratic institutions functioning independently.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Constitution | 5 February 1917 |
| Constitution Type | Political Constitution of the United Mexican States |
| Constitutional Amendments | Several, including in 1953 to extend rights to national elections and offices |
| Suffrage | Universal, free, secret, direct and compulsory for citizens 18+ (but not enforced) |
| Voting Registration | Automatic |
| Voting Frequency | Presidential elections every six years |
| Legislative Elections | Every six years for the Senate, every three years for the Chamber of Deputies |
| Governance | Federal presidential representative democratic republic |
| Branches of Government | Executive, legislative, and judicial |
| Political System | Multi-party |
| Political Parties | Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), National Action Party (PAN), Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), MORENA |
| Political Development | Towards greater political development and democracy |
| Indigenous Populations | Significant, with distinct cultures and interaction with Spanish colonists |
| Foreign Relations | Shifting relations with the United States |
| Corruption | Endemic at all levels |
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What You'll Learn
The Mexican Revolution and the Constitution of 1917
The Mexican Revolution (1910–1920) ended a long period of dictatorship under Porfirio Díaz and resulted in a new government and the Constitution of 1917. The Mexican Revolution was led by several factions, including Venustiano Carranza, Pancho Villa, and Emiliano Zapata. The Constitution of 1917, still in force today, has been amended several times and outlines expansive social reform and political reconstruction. It defines citizenship, organises a government, mandates land reform, and enumerates basic human rights for all Mexicans.
The Constitution of 1917 established a federal presidential representative democratic republic with a multi-party congressional system. The federal government represents the United Mexican States and is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch is headed by the President, who is advised by a cabinet of secretaries independent of the legislature. Legislative power is vested in the Congress of the Union, a two-chamber legislature comprising the Senate of the Republic and the Chamber of Deputies.
The Constitution of 1917 conferred dictatorial powers on the president, but it also incorporated the aspirations of the groups involved in the Mexican Revolution. For example, it mandated land reform, giving the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners and return lands taken from the peasantry during the Porfiriato. It also guaranteed workers' rights, limited the rights of the Roman Catholic Church, and widened access to education.
The Constitution of 1917 also included several social rights, such as an 8-hour workday, a 6-day workweek, a minimum wage, and equal pay for equal work. It gave both labour and capital the right to organise, and workers gained the right to bargain collectively and strike. The Constitution also established the sanctity of private property and contracts while interjecting concepts of social utility and national benefit to limit the untrammeled use of private property.
In terms of political parties, Mexico has traditionally had a limited number of large political parties, with smaller parties on the fringes. The Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) held power for 71 years until 2000, when Vicente Fox Quesada of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) was elected. In the 1990s, the left-wing Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) also emerged as a major political party.
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The semi-authoritarian political model
The Mexican Revolution of 1910–1920 overthrew the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz, and ended with a new government established within the legal framework of the Constitution of 1917. The regime that followed can be considered a semi-authoritarian political model, or a hybrid regime.
In 1920, a successful general in the Revolution, Alvaro Obregón, overthrew the temporary government of the revolutionary leader Venustiano Carranza, resulting in his election as President of Mexico. He was then replaced by Plutarco Elías Calles, who ruled from 1924 to 1928. After a rule change that prevented two mandates by the same person, Obregón returned to power in 1928 but was assassinated shortly after. As a result, outgoing president Calles founded a political party, the Partido Nacional Revolucionario (PNR), to solve the immediate political crisis and create a long-term framework for political stability.
The PNR evolved into the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which held sway over virtually every aspect of Mexican life for 71 years. In the words of writer and Nobel Laureate Mario Vargas Llosa, the PRI regime was “the perfect dictatorship”. However, since 2000, the PRI has alternated in power with the right-wing National Action Party (PAN). The 2000 election, which was monitored by tens of thousands of Mexican and international observers, was considered the fairest and most democratic in Mexico’s troubled electoral history.
The Mexican political system has since evolved into a multi-party state, with different parties competing in Congress. Key democratic institutions, like the National Electoral Council, now function impartially and independently. Democracy has matured and deepened, with a trend towards greater political development and competitiveness.
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The role of the Partido Nacional Revolucionario (PNR)
The Partido Nacional Revolucionario (PNR), or the National Revolutionary Party, was founded in 1929 by Plutarco Elías Calles, Mexico's paramount leader at the time and its president from 1924 to 1928. The PNR was created to address the political crisis caused by the assassination of Álvaro Obregón, the president-elect in July 1928. The party aimed to provide a platform for the surviving leaders and combatants of the Mexican Revolution to participate in politics and work towards long-term political stability, especially regarding presidential transitions.
The PNR was a capitalist party with a moderate character, but it embraced a diverse range of ideologies, including socialism during Cardenismo. It served as a bridge for those seeking political power and united various social struggles and trade unions. The party incorporated other political parties under its umbrella, such as the Partido Radical Tabasqueño, the Partido Socialists del Sureste, and the Partido Socialista Fronterizo. The PNR developed a set of principles and a platform that attracted support from agraristas and workers in the Laborist Party.
The PNR played a significant role in candidate selection for popular elections during its first stage from 1929 to 1938. However, the specific mechanisms of candidate selection within the party remain unknown. During this period, the PNR conducted six internal elections to choose candidates for the presidency, as well as for deputies and senators. The eligibility criteria for candidates were outlined in the party's statutes and included requirements such as a minimum age, citizenship, and residency conditions.
The PNR transformed into a mass party in 1938, changing its name to the Party of the Mexican Revolution (PRM). This marked the end of the PNR, and the PRM continued to evolve, eventually becoming the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) in 1946. The PRI dominated Mexican politics for many years, holding uninterrupted power from 1929 to 2000 and again from 2012 to 2018.
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Democratization and the limits to democracy
Mexico's political system has been shaped by several factors, including its proximity to the United States, its large indigenous population, and the Mexican Revolution. The Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, published in 1917, established a federal presidential representative democratic republic with a multi-party congressional system.
The Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) overthrew the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz, and the subsequent regime can be characterised as a semi-authoritarian political model. The 1917 Constitution was a key outcome of this revolution, and it served as a model for other constitutions, including the Weimar Constitution of 1919. The Constitution outlines national sovereignty, the form of government, and the rights and privileges of Mexican citizens. However, it notably denied women the right to vote, and the country has a history of fraudulent elections and corruption.
Mexico's political landscape was dominated for 71 years by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which influenced state and local matters and controlled elections. However, since 2000, there has been a shift towards a multi-party system, with the PRI alternating power with the right-wing National Action Party (PAN). This evolution has been characterised by increasing electoral competitiveness and the emergence of viable opposition parties.
While Mexico has made strides towards democratisation, challenges remain. Issues such as ongoing corruption, fraudulent elections, and social inequalities continue to pose limits to the country's democratic development. The country has also faced problems with violent crime, a lack of confidence in the police and judicial system, and human rights abuses, particularly in the prison system.
In conclusion, while Mexico's 1917 Constitution laid the foundation for a multi-party political system, the country's democracy has faced limitations due to various social, political, and economic factors. The evolution towards a more competitive and open political landscape is ongoing, and the future trajectory of Mexico's democratic development remains uncertain.
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The impact of the United States
The Mexican Revolution, a pivotal event in Mexico's history, was influenced by its complex relationship with the United States. The Revolution resulted in the creation of the 1917 Constitution, which remains in force today with amendments. This constitution was a response to the demands for socio-economic reform and marked a legal triumph for the revolution, establishing social rights and shaping Mexico's political system and ideology for much of the 20th century.
The United States' presence was also felt in the form of foreign ownership and control of Mexican industries, including the expropriation of foreign oil companies in 1938. The 1917 Constitution's anticlerical restrictions, such as Article 27's empowerment of the state over land ownership, played a role in this expropriation. The constitution's impact on church-state relations and land reform had long-lasting effects on Mexico's political landscape.
Additionally, the United States and Mexico have a history of cooperation and conflict regarding migration. The recruitment of Mexican labour by the United States, along with the increasing emphasis on border restrictions and the contributions of Mexican migrants to their home communities, have all influenced Mexico's political landscape. The cooperation between the two countries in controlling Central American migration further underscores the impact of the United States on Mexico's political development.
In conclusion, the United States has had a profound and multifaceted impact on Mexico's political system. Historical events, geographic proximity, and ongoing relations have all played a role in shaping Mexico's path toward a multiparty political state, with the United States being an influential external factor.
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Frequently asked questions
The Mexican political system currently functions within the framework of a federal presidential representative democratic republic. The government is based on a multi-party congressional system, with the President of Mexico serving as both head of state and head of government.
The Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, published in 1917, was a major outcome of the Mexican Revolution that began in 1910. It established the three branches of the federal government: executive, legislative, and judicial. The constitution also set out social rights, serving as a model for other constitutions, and restricted the Catholic Church as a consequence of the support given by the Mexican Church's hierarchy to Victoriano Huerta's dictatorship.
The Mexican political system has undergone a significant evolution since the establishment of the 1917 Constitution. For 71 years, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) held sway over most aspects of Mexican life, but in 2000, the PRI was defeated by the conservative National Action Party (PAN). Since then, different parties have competed in Congress, and democratic institutions have become more impartial and independent. Mexico's democracy has become more competitive, with opposition parties becoming increasingly viable options.
