Customer Reviews

Oil and Revolution in Mexico

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Jonathan Brown writes with clarity and objectivity when he details the entrance of foreign oil entrepeneurs into Mexico during the Porfiriato(Porfirio Diaz Regime) and the subsequent Mexican Revolution of 1910. The author brings up a couple of good points. The first is that the diaz regime was not a pawn to the foreign oil interests, rather Diaz was able to use his governmental powers to play off British interests against American interests. Secondly, foreign entrepeneurs confronted the Incomplete Revolution when they entered Mexico. Though Mexico wanted to modernize, the mexican property system failed to account properly for all the lands. Oil men confronted twice selling landowners, squatters, and hacienda owners who laid claim to untitled land. Porfirio Diaz did try to create a property system like the west by giving full ownership to subsoil rights but it would be the issue of subsoil rights which would create the tension once Porfirio Diaz fled. Brown also talks about the inter-relations which developed between Mexicans and their American labor counterparts. although Mexican oil workers were well paid (in Mexican terms), they still received less wages than Americans and still had to confront rising costs of living due to the revoultion and World war I. The only criticism I have is that Dr. Brown did not continue the book and stopped at 1920! I certainly would want to know what Dr. Brown thought of Lazaro Cardenas' expropriation. Overall it is a good read and I would recommend it for any student interested in Mexican Petroleum history.