La Revolución : Mexico's great revolution as memory, myth, and history / Thomas Benjamin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Benjamin, Thomas, 1952-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Myth.

Mexico--History--Revolution, 1910-1920--Historiography.

Mexico.

Mexico--History--1910-1946--Historiography.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (252 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, 2000.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The 1910 Revolution is still tangibly present in Mexico in the festivals that celebrate its victories, on the monuments to its heroes, and, most important, in the stories and memories of the Mexican people. Yet there has never been general agreement on what the revolution meant, what its objectives were, and whether they have been accomplished. This pathfinding book shows how Mexicans from 1910 through the 1950s interpreted the revolution, tried to make sense of it, and, through collective memory, myth-making, and history writing, invented an idea called "la Revolución." In part one, Thomas Benjamin follows the historical development of different and often opposing revolutionary traditions and the state's efforts to forge them into one unified and unifying narrative. In part two, he examines ways of remembering the past and making it relevant to the present through fiestas, monuments, and official history. This research clarifies how the revolution has served to authorize and legitimize political factions and particular regimes to the present day. Beyond the Mexican case, it demonstrates how history is used to serve the needs of the present.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface

The Pantheon of National Heroes

Chronology of Events, 1810-1910

INTRODUCTION The Revolution with a Capital Letter

Chronology of Events, 1911-1928

Part One CONSTRUCTION

1. 1911-1913: Every Event's Name Is Itself an Interpretation

2. 1913-1920: Warring Authorities Mean Warring Pasts

3. 1920-1928: Political Domination Involves Historical Definition

Chronology of Events, 1928-1968

Part Two PERFORMANCE

Introduction

4. Festival: A Vigorous Mexico Arising

5. Monument: From the Ruins of the Old Regime

6. History: The Work of Concord and Unification

Chronology of Events, 1968ÐPresent

Conclusion: Affirming and Subverting the Revolution

Notes

Sources

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0-292-79820-2

OCLC:

568018075

Publisher Number:

9780292708808