The involvements of France in Mexico during the Pastry War and the more important imposition of Maximilian as emperor are both well-known events. Far less well-known is the chronic friction that existed between the two nations from the time Mexico achieved its independence. In this sound, well researched book, Professor Barker, professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin, has examined the decades from 1821 to 1861 in French-Mexican relations, both for their own value and as a basis for a better understanding of the 1860s. Materials from both sides of the Atlantic have been used and Barker brings to her work clear expertise on the French side along with skill in incorporating the Mexican story. Though primarily diplomatic history, Barker has added economic issues, some quantitative information about French residents in Mexico, and important analyses of French personalities involved in decision-making.
Given the approach of this study, a convincing case is made that the attempt by Napoleon to place Maximilian on the Mexican throne was hardly as farfetched as it might be thought. The acceptance of the transfer of princes between European nations, the belief in the lack of a strong Mexican nationalism, and a strong racist view that held republican institutions incompatible with the Latin peoples all combined to assert the logic of monarchy in Mexico. While the role of the Mexican émigrés in Europe was important, since most of them were closer to the Mexican scene than is often pictured, it was not the determining influence in Napoleon’s decision.
Most important of all, Professor Barker has described the personalities and misdeeds of a series of French ministers, adventurers, and businessmen. Arrogant individuals, frequently representing a spoils system or special interests, sometimes corrupt, added their own misconceptions of the Mexican scene to an already poor understanding of Mexico within the French government and helped set the stage for the intervention.
Although the emphasis in this book is on the French side and the Mexican story is told in very limited fashion, there is no doubt this is an important addition to a understanding of a major event in Mexican history. At times controversial (Barker does not hesitate to challenge or question traditional interpretations) this work should become a standard source of information on French attitudes and policy toward Mexico between 1821 and 1861.
