Constitution of 1917

The Constitution of 1917 was a result of the Mexican Revolution and successful because it improved social conditions by establishing a minimum wage, giving power to working unions, and labor laws. This was a huge step toward democracy for Mexico and the rising middle class. Land reform was the biggest contributor to the success of the constitution because it gave back land to the landowners who started the revolution. The return of the land then led to an agrarian reform which was a big plus and movement towards modernization.

Rating:

Success 8/10

Protection 10/10

• Nature:
• 20 century version of the 1857 constitution
• civil liberties, the right to an education, redistribution of the land, the protection of labor, the establishment of a secular state, and the protection of natural resources
• model of democracy; seen as radically leftist by experts
• Application:
• labor reform: allowed workers to form unions and bargain collectively
• repatriation of the land back to the peasants
• far-reaching restrictions on foreign access to Mexico’s natural resources (oil)
• increased carranza’s power and gave the president dictatorial control of Mexico; abolished the office of the vice president; weakened the legislature
• catholic church was restricted
• Important Articles:
• 3 and 130
• the catholic church was refused recognition as a legal entity, priest had to be publicly registered, religious education and religious rituals outside churches were prohibited, and churches were made property of the state
• 24
• religious freedom
• 27
• established that ownership of land and waters belongs primarily to the nation, which can transfer direct control and set up private property, but subject to the public interest
• authorized confiscation of large estates to be divided into small properties
• placed conditions on foreign ownership of land and excluded the Church from holding property
• 34 and 35
• citizenship and voting rights
• 123
• set limits to working hours, established a day of rest per week, equal pay for equal work, compensation for work-related accidents and injuries, comfortable and hygienic conditions