Page:Margaret Shipman - Mexico's Struggle Towards Democracy (1927).pdf/23

 monastic orders forbidden (Amendment 5); monopolies, civil or ecclesiastical forbidden (Art. 8); all adult citizens to have right of suffrage (Art. 35); instruction to be free (Art. 3); bill of rights, liberal regulations in regard to aliens, and steps looking towards the abolition of capital punishment provided. This constitution remained theoretically in force until 1917, though many of its provisions were never put into practice.

The promulgation of the constitution, the wars of invasion, and the sense of proprietorship in the land and institutions all tended to increase national consciousness. Distrust of foreigners and fear of invasion were inevitable results.

The most important immediate result of the revolution was the breaking up of the church estates, of those confiscated from lay owners, and of the communal lands. There seems to be very little definite information as to the amount of land distributed to the peons. Ownership was in a state of flux. New estates were being formed and many who obtained small holdings soon sold or lost title to them. In 1876, Cubas wrote: "Within the republic there are more than 5,700 haciendas and 13,800 farms (ranchos) and not a few other locations of vast extent." (Republic of Mexico, p. 24.) He estimates the average value of the haciendas to be $45,000 and of the ranchos, $5,000, and makes no mention of smaller holdings. From this it would appear that at the end of the constitutional period, most of the small holdings had been absorbed by larger owners. Under Diaz the land was still further concentrated.