Isabella Carter
The Mexican Constitution of 1917, still in force almost 100 years later, was the first in the world to outline social rights and incorporate the aspirations of the groups involved in the Mexican Revolution. The constitution conferred dictatorial powers on the president but also guaranteed workers' rights, limited the rights of the Roman Catholic Church, and widened the educational base to include availability of primary school for the masses. The constitution also mandated land reform, giving the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners and return it to peasants, and forbade foreigners from owning land within 100km of a national border or 50km of the sea.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Land reform | Mandated the return of lands taken from the peasantry during the Porfiriato, even without written titles |
| Gave the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners | |
| Recognized villages' rights to land and the power of the state over subsoil rights | |
| Established the ejido system | |
| Banned foreigners from owning land within 100km of a national border or 50km of the sea | |
| Workers' rights | Established an 8-hour workday, a 6-day workweek, a minimum wage, and equal pay for equal work |
| Gave workers the right to organize, bargain collectively, and strike | |
| Education | Established free, compulsory, secular public education |
| Widened the educational base to include availability of primary school for the masses | |
| Separation of church and state | Secularized the Mexican state and limited the rights of the Roman Catholic Church |
| Economic principles | Promoted commercial agriculture |
| Promoted conditions for the integral development of rural areas, with the purpose of creating jobs and guaranteeing the well-being of farmers |
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What You'll Learn
The constitution returned land to peasants
The Mexican Constitution of 1917, still in force almost 100 years later, has 137 articles that define citizenship, organise a government, mandate land reform, and enumerate basic human rights for all Mexicans. The constitution was the first in the world to incorporate social rights and served as a model for the constitutions of other nations.
Article 27 of the constitution mandated that lands taken from the peasantry during the Porfiriato had to be returned, even if they did not have written titles. It also forbade foreigners from owning land within 100km of a national border or 50km of the sea. The article was influenced by Andrés Molina Enríquez, who is considered the intellectual father of Article 27. His 1909 book, "Los Grandes Problemas Nacionales" (The Great National Problems), laid out his analysis of Mexico's unequal land tenure system and his vision of land reform.
Article 27 also reasserted national ownership of subsoil resources and outlined alternative land reform and agrarian programs. The government could take all land not used "appropriately" and repurpose it for the public good. The constitution also established the ejido system, where large haciendas were divided and held jointly by local entities and the nation.
The constitution's recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples and communities to self-determination and their autonomy regarding their forms of group life and internal social, economic, political, and cultural organisation is also noteworthy.
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It also gave the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners
The Mexican Constitution of 1917, still in force almost 100 years later, has 137 articles that define citizenship, organise a government, mandate land reform, and enumerate basic human rights for all Mexicans. The constitution was the first in the world to outline social rights and incorporate social rights. It was also the first document in the world to outline social rights.
The constitution gave the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners. This was a key demand of the followers of Emiliano Zapata, who was supported by the US government. This was also a result of peasant mobilisation against landed elites during the Mexican Revolution, which prompted land reform in the post-revolutionary period. This led to the creation of the ejido system, enshrined in the Mexican Constitution of 1917.
Article 27 of the constitution mandated that lands taken from the peasantry during the Porfiriato had to be returned, even if they did not have written titles. It also gave the government the right to take all land not used "appropriately" and repurpose it for the public good. This article was influenced by Andrés Molina Enríquez, who is considered the intellectual father of Article 27. His 1909 book, "Los Grandes Problemas Nacionales" (The Great National Problems), laid out his analysis of Mexico's unequal land tenure system and his vision of land reform.
The constitution also included other provisions related to land reform and agriculture. Article 123 established an 8-hour workday, a 6-day workweek, a minimum wage, and equal pay for equal work. It also gave both labour and capital the right to organise, and workers gained the right to bargain collectively and strike. The constitution also included provisions to promote the development of rural areas, create jobs, guarantee the well-being of farmers, and promote agriculture and forestry activity to optimise land use.
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It established an 8-hour workday and a 6-day workweek
The Mexican Constitution of 1917 was the result of years of political instability and violent rebellion. It was the first constitution in the world to incorporate social rights, and it has served as a model for the constitutions of other nations.
Article 123 of the Constitution of 1917 established an 8-hour workday and a 6-day workweek. This was a significant development in the history of labour rights and represented a major shift in the way that work was structured in Mexico. Prior to this, it was common for workers, including farmers, to work much longer hours, often from sunrise to sunset, with no days off. This change meant that workers now had time to rest and recover, and to spend time with their families and on their personal interests.
The establishment of the 8-hour workday and 6-day workweek was also a recognition of the value of labour and the importance of workers' rights. It was a step towards ensuring that workers were not exploited and that they had time for rest and leisure. This right was granted to all workers, including agricultural workers, who had played a significant role in the Mexican Revolution and had mobilized against landed elites, prompting land reform and the creation of the ejido system.
The 8-hour workday and 6-day workweek also had economic implications. By standardizing the workday across industries, it helped to create a more stable and predictable economy. It also contributed to the development of a consumer culture, as workers now had more time to engage in leisure activities and purchase goods and services beyond basic necessities.
The inclusion of this labour right in the Constitution of 1917 was a reflection of the revolutionary principles that shaped the document. It represented a break from the past and a commitment to improving the lives of all Mexicans, including farmers and other workers. This right, along with others established in the Constitution, such as the right to organize and bargain collectively, helped to empower workers and improve their working conditions.
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It guaranteed workers' rights
The Mexican Constitution of 1917, still in force almost 100 years later, contains 137 articles that define citizenship, organise a government, mandate land reform, and enumerate basic human rights for all Mexicans. It was the first constitution in the world to outline social rights and incorporate them into federal law.
The Constitution of 1917 guaranteed workers' rights, including 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 widened the educational base to include the availability of primary school for the masses.
Article 27 of the Constitution mandated that lands taken from the peasantry during the Porfiriato had to be returned, even if they did not have written titles. It also forbade foreigners from owning land within 100km of a national border or 50km of the sea. The Article reasserted national ownership of subsoil resources and outlined alternative land reform and agrarian programs. It was influenced by Andrés Molina Enríquez, considered the intellectual father of Article 27, whose 1909 book analysed Mexico's unequal land tenure system and envisioned land reform.
The Constitution also recognised the right of indigenous peoples to self-determination and guaranteed their autonomy in deciding their forms of group life and internal social, economic, political, and cultural organisation. It established the government, public service, and social welfare, and designated Mexico City as the capital, with the Federal District a separate entity, apart from state jurisdiction.
The Mexican Constitution of 1917 conferred dictatorial powers on the president, but it also incorporated the aspirations of the groups involved in the Mexican Revolution, including agrarian reform. It gave the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners and limit the rights of the Roman Catholic Church.
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It promoted rural development, creating jobs and guaranteeing the well-being of farmers
The Mexican Constitution of 1917 was the result of years of political instability, violent rebellion, and civil war. It was the first constitution in the world to outline social rights and incorporate social, economic, and cultural well-being as obligations of the national government.
The Constitution of 1917 promoted rural development, creating jobs and guaranteeing the well-being of farmers in several ways. Firstly, it mandated land reform, which included returning land taken from the peasantry during the Porfiriato and redistributing land not used "appropriately" for the public good. This was a direct response to the loss of land by smallholders and indigenous communities during the Porfiriato, which accelerated under the liberal regime of Porfirio Díaz due to policies that favoured foreign investment in Mexican land. The Constitution's land reform measures also included the division of large haciendas into ejidos, held jointly by local entities and the nation, and the recognition of villages' rights to land and the power of the state over subsoil rights.
Secondly, the Constitution established free, obligatory, and secular public education, which widened the educational base to include primary school for the masses. This provision of education was intended to support the integral development of rural areas.
Thirdly, the Constitution guaranteed workers' rights, including an 8-hour workday, a 6-day workweek, a minimum wage, and equal pay for equal work. It also gave workers the right to organize, bargain collectively, and strike. These measures aimed to improve the well-being of farmers and workers across Mexico by ensuring fair labour practices and living wages.
Overall, the Constitution of 1917 sought to address the social, economic, and cultural needs of Mexico's rural and agricultural communities, promoting development, creating jobs, and safeguarding the well-being of farmers through a combination of land reform, education, and workers' rights.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution of 1917, which is still in force, incorporates the aspirations of the groups involved in the Mexican Revolution, including the agrarian reform advocated by the followers of Emiliano Zapata. It gave the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners and return it to peasants who had lost land during the Porfiriato, even if they did not have written titles. It also established the ejido system, promoted the development of rural areas, and guaranteed the well-being of farmers.
The Constitution of 1917 mandated land reform and outlined alternative land reform and agrarian programs. It also reasserted national ownership of subsoil resources and recognized villages' rights to land and the power of the state over subsoil rights.
The Constitution of 1917 established an 8-hour workday, a 6-day workweek, a minimum wage, equal pay for equal work, and the right for workers to organize, bargain collectively, and strike. It also established free, compulsory, secular public education, guaranteed workers' rights, and limited the rights of the Roman Catholic Church.
