This book is a compilation of articles written by Victoriano Álvarez during the decade (1920-1930) following the Revolution of 1910. These articles, selected from his writings published in Excelsior and El Universal (Mexico City), La Prensa (San Antonio, Texas) and La Opinión (Los Angeles, California), treat various aspects of the ruin or destruction of the agrarian reform movement in Mexico. The first ten years of the revolution which began in 1910 were largely devoted to armed conflict or civil war. In the beginning the revolution was not an agrarian uprising, but the agrarian problem gradually emerged as the central theme during the latter phases. Perhaps the most important aspects of the Mexican Constitution of 1917 were the definition of the nature of private property, the designation of who could hold private property, and a formula for the solution of the agrarian problem.
Victoriano Salado Álvarez was on the scene. He watched with keen interest the developments in Mexico. From our perspective today we know that the social-economic revolution, begun in 1910, and its accompanying agrarian reform, are not yet complete. However the past twenty years of agricultural development in Mexico have exceeded by far Mr. Álvarez’ highest hopes.
His writings in the 1920s show great understanding and perception. Perhaps history may show him to be a bit impatient and hasty in his judgments of the fruits of the agrarian reform movement. His writings provide ample evidence and outstanding examples of the disillusion frustration, and overwhelming difficulties encountered by a nation that determined to implement major agrarian reform.
Anyone who is interested in the problems associated with minifundia latifundia, and ownership and management of agricultural lands especially in Latin America, can benefit from Álvarez’ incisive writing and editorial treatment of the Mexican agrarian revolution during a critical decade of its history, 1920-1930.
