The Divine Charter Constitutionalism and Liberalism in Nineteenth-Century Mexico

Although Mexico began its national life in 1821 as one of the most liberal democracies in the world, it ended the century with an authoritarian regime. Examining this defining process, distinguished historians focus on the evolution of Mexican liberalism from the perspectives of politics, the military, the Church, and the economy. Based on extensive archival research, the chapters demonstrate thatdespite widely held assumptionsliberalism was not an alien ideology unsuited to Mexico's traditional, conservative, and multiethnic society. As the first systematic exploration of the country's liberal tradition, this volume provides a nuanced and comprehensive analysis of the transformation of liberalism in Mexico.