INEQUALITY AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN MEXICO (1950-1980) - HISTORY - 2025

The inequality and social movements in Mexico during the period from 1950 to 1980, materialized in phenomena of collective action, in which a common demand of struggle, both peaceful and violent identified: the socio-economic claim to the high cost of life.

In addition to the mobilizations of the trade union or the sector of the population hardest hit by the economic crisis, causes of a different nature were occasionally presented, such as political-electoral, urban-popular, environmental and the one that promoted gender equality.

1968 student movement in Mexico City. Source: CDMX Government

Social mobilizations in the 1950s and 1960s

The decade of the 50s was characterized by civic demonstrations - and some armed ones - that rejected the difficult economic conditions and sought better wages, for which the union sector played a leading role.

The so-called jaramillismo by the peasant population of Morelos was one of the phenomena to be highlighted. Another was the railroad movement, a conflict initiated by the sector union that decided to paralyze its activities, demanding improvements in its collective contract.

During these years groups that defended women's rights and aspired to the electoral vote also appeared.

In the 1960s, the struggle to improve working conditions continued, to which was added the great affinity with the ideals of the Cuban revolution. In addition, there were demonstrations demanding the release of political prisoners, but the most emblematic social phenomenon of that decade was the well-known student movement of 1968.

Demonstrations between the 1970s and 1980s

During the 1970s, there was a boom in guerrilla groups in both rural and urban settings, which led to extrajudicial executions. Political prisoners were increasing, while the struggle for economic demands from the peasantry and the working class continued.

However, in the middle of that period there were some battles won, such as the amnesty of the members of the guerrillas and the admission of new political parties to the electoral offer.

Finally, in the 1980s, a range of causes were combined that mobilized the Mexican population. On the one hand, the popular struggle continued, leading to civic strikes and protests for alleged electoral fraud.

On the other hand, environmental movements also occupied the scene, denouncing the ecological ravages of industrial development, with certain anti-capitalist overtones, and focused on the defense of life on our planet.

In addition, groups in defense of women's rights reappeared, demanding subsidy programs and projects to reduce poverty. Sociologists identify in these groups the beginnings of what would later be known as “popular feminism”.

Background and origin

Since 1929, Mexico has been under the hegemonic power of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which established an authoritarian and anti-democratic government. In addition to not accepting dissent and despite being a presidential system, the executive power subdued the legislative and judicial.

Since 1930 there has been a significant demographic increase, which exceeded the development capacities of the State and its resources. The average annual growth rate had reached 3%, by 1950.

The population increase was accompanied by external migratory movements, but especially internal ones. The proportion of people who had emigrated from one state to another reached 12.8%. With this, the cities had an increasing demand for services, but urban planning and the expansion of water and electricity services did not go hand in hand with this process.

In parallel, in the economic sphere there was a sustained growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a process of industrialization and investment opportunities, under a stabilizing and centralized economic model, which would historically be known as the "Mexican Miracle."

It should be noted that in the international sector, the student movements and the triumph of the Cuban Revolution with its communist ideals, aroused the political debate and strengthened the leftist groups of the so-called third world countries, including Mexico.

Causes

Protest by Mexican students in 1968. Source: Marcel·lí Perelló

One of the main causes of Mexican social mobilizations was undoubtedly the economic recession that occurred at the beginning of the 1960s, after the boom period and in combination with the demographic explosion.

A strong devaluation, constant inflation and the suspension of salary increases were the elements that ignited the spirits of the working-class sector, to which was added the dissatisfaction of other groups, such as the middle class and professionals.

In addition to the accumulated social discontent, there was a tension of a political nature. The regime institutionalized by the Institutional Revolutionary Party for more than a decade, did not allow dissent and maintained control through intimidation, imprisonment and repression.

Consequences

Despite the relevance of social movements in Mexico between the decades from 1950 to 1980, it must be considered that they did not generate the expected results in the socio-economic sphere. The imbalance continues even today, that is, 40 years later, regardless of the capitalist or socialist tendency of the government in power.

As a result of continuing inequality, experts in the field agree that one of the main consequences was the appearance of guerrilla groups, in urban and rural areas, which made themselves known through a violent offensive with ambushes, kidnappings and assassinations.

Among them are the Communist League September 23, the Party of the Poor and the National Revolutionary Civic Association (ACNR), including the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), although their appearance was in the mid-1990s.

However, the balance is not entirely negative, since several electoral reforms were registered, with which citizen participation was expanded and political pluralism was allowed.

The democratization process, as well as the formation and life of other parties, in addition to the PRI, is undoubtedly a triumph of the Mexican social movements of the mid-20th century.

During that period, the demonstrations in favor of gender equality also paid off. First, women were able to cast their vote in the 1953 municipal electoral process and, two years later, they were granted their full right in federal elections.

References

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4. Inequality and social movements. (2019, November 23). Recovered from estudioraprender.com
5. Álvarez Martínez, A. Social movements in Mexico. Theoretical notes and case studies. HistoriAgenda,, n. 37, p. 151-158, dec. 2018. ISSN 2448-489X. Available at magazines.unam.mx
6. Population explosion, internal migration, demand for services and pollution (nd). Recovered from lahistoriamexicana.mx