Mexico 68

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling.
You can assist by editing it now. A how-to guide is available. (December 2007)

Mexico 68 was a student movement caused by an ideological clash between generations. Socialism and Capitalism also influenced the students and the government at that time. October 2nd and the Silence March are the most important parts of the movement. Students from the IPN, UNAM and other schools forgot their differences and acted as one to achieve their goals. The 1968 Summer Olympics played an important role on the way the government acted. Both the government and the students acted according to their generational ideologies. This movement was influenced by the world’s movements at that time, like the Hippie movement. The movement influenced the Mexican feminism and women played an important role in it.

Contents

[edit] Context

[edit] The world

During this time, the Vietnam War caused an ideological revolution around the world. With the introduction of The Pill, sexual liberation arose giving momentum to feminism. Also, the hippie movement gave place to a “peace and love” ideology; adapted by students world wide, who tried to expand it into society. [1] These were some of the reasons why around the globe many student movements took place, showing their dissatisfaction against the social situation. [2]

[edit] Mexico

[edit] Social

There was an ideological clash between older adults and younger adults, caused by the different generations to which they belonged. The newer generations were open minded to innovations and believed in a bright future; while the previous generations found themselves unprepared to accept all these new ideas. Because of this ideological clash, the new generations were repressed by the previous one. This gave place to all these young adults’ movements. At that time repression seemed to be the best way to control society. [1]

[edit] Political

The government restricted citizens’ freedom of speech and action. This caused them to live a more pacified life in some way. However, people got tired of this life-style, becoming discontent and dissatisfied upon their government. Mexico, like the rest of the world, had the presence of two clashing ideologies: socialism and capitalism; which gave place to internal conflicts. According to the Constitution, the government had the right to use the military force in order to maintain peace in the country. [1]

[edit] Olympic Games

In this year, the Olympic Games took place in Mexico, becoming the first developing country to host this event. This represented an important income to the country because of the tourists who would come. Also, giving a good impression to the world could lead to the introduction of international investors. However, the students were against these ideals. They did not considerate that the appearance of Mexico to the world was a priority. They preferred a revolution, giving place to the reformation of their country “No queremos Olimpiadas, queremos revolución” (We do not want Olympic Games, we want a revolution).[2]

[edit] The movement

[edit] Purpose

With all these repressions and constant injustices going on in the country, the younger generations decided to take justice by hand. Since July, 1968 many students’ movements started to arise. Young adults, especially university students, tried to find a place for themselves, due to the general repression of society, becoming attracted to what was considerate socially unaccepted. [2]Many of these student’s movements had the purpose to show their dissatisfaction with their society, trying to create a world or a place to call home. Also, this discomfort was transmitted to music world wide with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, in which many young adults found themselves identified. [1]

[edit] Tlatelolco massacre

Main article: Tlatelolco massacre

During mid-1968, student movements started to arise and become stronger and more violent, up to the point where the government stepped in.[citation needed] However, these meetings were usually under control, up until October 2, 1968. At 5 o’clock in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Santiago Tlatelolco, almost 10 thousand men, women and children were standing, waiting for a meeting to start. However, when the leaders of the several student organizations and movements arrived, policemen and the military, sent by president Díaz Ordaz and commanded by Luis Echeverria, decided to dissolve the meeting. A student claims that at about 6:10 a helicopter dropped three flashlights over the plaza, giving place to the first gunshots. [3] People started to panic, and everyone started running to save their lives. However, no one came to their rescue. The rest of the city decided to either not care or to pretended indifference towards these students. The intense fire lasted for about 30 minutes, diminishing afterwards, however, the gunshots did not conclude. [2]

The next day, the newspapers tried to diminish the real intensity of the facts, picturing the students as the culprits of the massacre. [2]Most of the information was about the military men and how many became hurt trying to protect their country from any internal conflicts. Only two newspapers included some information about the students. However, all this information was being controlled, in order to pretend everything was right with the country. It was not until 30 years later that the spectators and survivors could talk more openly about these facts. [1] Probably if the information had been published the adults would have had a different reaction. It is estimated that Mexican police murdered as many as 400 students and workers at La Plaza de las Tres Culturas that evening.

[edit] The Women in the Movement

 It has been suggested that Women in Mexico 68 be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

According to Elaine Carey, all the female participants in the movement of Mexico 68 lived through an intense social experience and a sudden expansion of their expectations as citizens and as women. Many women awakened to the political and social commitment that had been made with them. Before the repression of the initial demonstration, there were already some student groups that gave women the opportunity to participate actively in this social movement. Because of this, feminist ideas started to spread out and grow stronger. During this time, the government’s officials tended to focus on men in the movement, discounting the significance of the role that women played at that time. As a result of this discrimination, men became the target of the government during the crackdown of October 2nd, 1968, leaving women behind. This gave female members the opportunity to keep the movement alive, pointing its direction into the ensuing years.[4]

Marta Lamas, one of the most lucid representatives of the Mexican feminism, gave women the opportunity of participating in Mexican movements. In the early years of the following decade, the Liberation of Women Movement, Women in Action Association and the National Women's Movement, among other organizations were created. [5]

Rosario Castellanos covered a domestic women strike in the United States in the name of feminism. She used the strike as an exmple in order to question concepts of Mexican femininity. With these actions, Rosario Castellanos opened the door to mor feminism discussions. [4]

Carmen Landa showed by examples how changes have been made and how the feminism movement could change a life. Her introduction to feminism in 1968 lead her to become part of this movement. [4]

These are some examples of women in the movement, However, there were many more like Alejandra Herrera, Vida Valero, Mercedes Perelló, among many others. [4]

[edit] Consequences

This social movement brought unavoidable consequences which changed permanently the future outcome of Mexico.

The major change caused by this movement came at a political level. The new citizens had the opportunity to live a new democracy in which their opinion could actually make a change in society. No longer men and women trusted completely in the government and no longer will they live completely under the conscious control of their government, nor tolerate it anymore,[3] although they were not completely free. Octavio Paz relinquished from the India embassy as an act of protest. However, there were also some older intellectuals who were in favor of the government, like Agustín Yañez. [2]

Several social changes took places after this year. No longer would people have to live under strict and unbreakable rules. Because of this, there was more freedom of action upon the law as well as freedom of expressing themselves without the same restrictions. [3]Also new ideas took place and transformed their lives. Feminism was one of them. This new ideology allowed women to fight for her rights, increasing the social participation of women in a significant percentage. Women were not only the ones who had to take care of the house and children, but could also become business women. [4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Castro, Genoveva; R. Blanco, C. Lasso and I. Rodríguez. México 68. RedEscolar. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Ponitowska, Elena (1998–09), “Son cuerpos, señor…”, Equis: 3 - 8 
  3. ^ a b c González, Víctor M. (June 2003). México 1968…¡No se olvida!. Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente. Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
  4. ^ a b c d e Carey, Elaine (2005). Plaza of Sacrifices: gender, power and terror in 1968 Mexico. USA: Editorial Dialogos. 
  5. ^ Soto, Cecilia. "Las mujeres y el 68", 1998-11-11, pp. 18.