Porfiriato

The Porfiriato was the period of Mexican history dominated by Porfirio Díaz, whose rule from 1876 to 1911 combined economic modernization with political centralization and authoritarian control.

Porfirio Díaz: A Mexican general and politician who served as president for most of the period from 1876 to 1911. His personal rule and political network defined the period.
Mexican Railway: A railway company that built and operated Mexico’s first major line between Mexico City and Veracruz. Its route connected the capital to the Gulf port and exemplified railway expansion.
French intervention in Mexico: A French military intervention from 1862 to 1867 that installed Emperor Maximilian I before republican victory. Díaz gained military prominence fighting the French-backed empire.
Francisco I. Madero: A Mexican politician whose opposition to Díaz and 1910 presidential campaign helped initiate the Mexican Revolution. He challenged Díaz through an electoral campaign before calling for armed revolt.
Rurales: A mounted rural police force established in Mexico in 1861 and expanded under Porfirio Díaz. The force helped enforce order and project central authority across the countryside.
Mexican National Railways: A railway company formed in 1908 by consolidating major Mexican rail networks under government control. Its creation reflected efforts to bring strategic infrastructure under national oversight.
Second French Empire in Mexico: The monarchy headed by Maximilian I in Mexico from 1864 until its defeat in 1867. Its defeat restored the republic and shaped the generation of leaders who followed.
Anti-reelectionism: A political principle opposing the repeated reelection of a president or other elected official. It exposed the contradiction between Díaz’s early platform and his repeated returns to office.
Paz porfiriana: The relative political stability associated with Porfirio Díaz’s long rule in Mexico. Its order rested on a mix of bargaining, repression, and limits on political competition.
Foreign investment in Mexico: Capital supplied by investors outside Mexico for Mexican businesses, infrastructure, and resource extraction. Foreign capital financed much of the period’s rail, mining, and industrial growth.

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