1968 STUDENT MOVEMENT: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES - HISTORY - 2025

The 1968 student movement was a movement developed in Mexico against the government. It happened between July and October of that year, in the context of the 1968 Summer Olympics, in Mexico City.

This movement also took place in the world protests of 1968. Mexican students were inspired by the success of the movement that took place in France that same year; They saw that opportunity to bring a more open democracy to Mexico.

They chose that summer because of the Olympics that were to take place in Mexico City during October. The students thought it was an opportunity to pressure the government, led by President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, and the Institutional Revolutionary Party.

People's discontent was triggered on July 22, when a street fight between high school students was put down by the police.

After several days of rioting and fighting, the students went on strike to protest against the repression. Hundreds of peaceful protesters were killed during the protests.

Although the student protests did not lead to direct political change, they did lead to a change in perception in the population. These demonstrations highlighted the government's repression and hypocrisy.

The emergence of this movement can be seen as the root of social discontent that eventually led to a more open government in the future.

Four main causes

1- Lack of equality

During the 1960s, Mexico experienced great economic stability and growth. The government used that economic success to divert attention from existing problems.

Although Mexico was becoming a richer country, there was no change in inequalities between classes. There were many impoverished people and only a few improvements were made to their way of life.

The inequality was evident. In contrast to those of European or foreign descent, the mestizos and Indians remained in poverty; many lived in poor neighborhoods or towns.

The repression of the lower classes had increased since World War II, and income fell into the pockets of the elite.

The middle class had some economic benefits, but they had no political representation; most of the students came from this class.

2- Foreign revolts

The students wanted a change, and the perfect opportunity came that year. The Mexican students looked across the ocean to see how the other students grappled with similar issues.

Riots were taking place in Paris, Tokyo, and many other major cities. In the West, students wanted to revert to the consumer society. In Europe, students wanted to call for action towards nationalism and democracy.

These world revolts inspired students in Mexico. Instead of focusing on university problems, the Protestants focused on something bigger, thus calling for democracy for the nation.

3- The Cuban Revolution

In addition to the inspiration of leftism within the nation, the students were also influenced by the events that had taken place nine years earlier in Cuba.

The Cuban Revolution showed other Latin American nations that there was a possibility of a revolution, at that time considered successful, in a Latin American country that did not have a well-developed capitalist system.

People who had not believed that any attempt at revolt in Mexico could be successful saw that the revolution in Cuba served to educate the people, eradicate poverty, and drive away American imperialism.

Although many student leaders were communists, this ideology did not dominate the general purpose of the protests. But the Cuban Revolution prompted people to make a change.

4- Breach of the promises of the 1910 revolution

The real motivation for the protests went beyond the removal of government agents. The basis for all protests was social inequality and political repression; Protestants wanted the promises of the 1910 Revolution to be fulfilled.

The students wanted to change the focus of state policies, which at that time favored only the elite, and direct them towards the poor, the workers, and the middle and lower social classes, which had been ignored.

The students wanted the government to stop thinking about American business opportunities and focused on social service programs. Additionally, the government was a dictatorship that had been in power for six years.

Four main consequences

1- Tlatelolco Massacre

It was the massacre of some 300 or 400 students and civilians, carried out by the police and the militia, on October 2 in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas.

This death toll is an estimate, since there has never been a consensus on how many people died that day.

The events that occurred are considered as part of the "dirty war", when the government used its forces to oppress the political composition. More than 1,300 people were arrested by the police.

At that time, the government and the media stated that government forces had been provoked by protesters by shooting at them. However, it is now known that the snipers were from the government.

2- Change in social perspective

The students openly criticized the government. The movement encouraged all people to participate and demand from the government what they had been denied.

The criticism of the president, previously unseen, was part of the students' effort to reveal the government's real intentions.

The more people watched the signs of repression, the more they became convinced that changes had to be made in the country.

3- Demands of the National Strike Council and final truce

The National Strike Council (CNH) was a coalition created to represent the leadership of the movement.

The demands of this group included: the release of political prisoners, compensation for the families of the murdered students, the dismissal of the Mexico City police chief, and the annulment of criminal codes that restricted freedom of expression.

The CNH accepted a truce beginning on October 9. After the Olympics there were very few protests. In December, the CNH dissolved and the protests ended. The Tlalelolco Massacre influenced the cessation of the protests.

4- Beginning of changes in Mexico

Díaz Ordaz's successor was President Luis Echeverría. Echeverría tried to win the support of the people by firing the people who the public held responsible for the massacre of the students.

He also carried out actions to meet people's demands; it made mass participation in government easier by allowing new political parties to recognize themselves.

The president increased spending on social welfare, housing, and education, and expanded the social security program.

By 1971, prisoners incarcerated during the protests had been released. During the Echeverría period, the great existing corruption began to be destroyed.

The student movement spurred efforts to end corruption and gave the Mexican population a voice; it urged them not to be afraid to stand up against the injustices of the government.

References

1. A new Mexican Revolution? The student movement of 1968. Recovered from eiu.edu
2. Tlatelolco massacre. Recovered from wikipedia.org
3. Mexican students protest for greater democracy, 1968. Recovered from nvdatabase.smarthmore.edu
4. Mexico's 1968 massacre: what really happened? (2008). Recovered from npr.org
5. Mexico 68. Recovered from wikipedia.org