Introduction
Aristocracy more often than not leads to suffering of the common people while the leaders and other powerful people flourish at the expense of the poor populace. This paper discusses the content and context of a speech delivered by Ponciano Arriaga during the Constitutional Convention of 1856-1857 in Mexico, in which he voiced the need to implement land reforms with a view to delivering justice to the people and solving the many socioeconomic challenges facing the people at the time.
The Content of the Speech
The underlying issue in Arriaga’s speech was the need to destroy the land monopoly in which a few powerful people owned vast tracts of land while the majority of Mexicans remained landless and poor. The speaker underscores the need for land reforms in the country, by highlighting, in a rather powerful way, the various problems that the Mexicans were living in despite the declaration of democracy, freedom and human rights. Arriaga laments that not only did the Mexican landowners claim ownership to vast tracts of land, but that land was idle and uncultivated. The poor, landless Mexicans were left with no land to cultivate. Moreover, the speaker notes that the rich landowners used the poor squatters to work on their land while subjecting them to deplorable living conditions. Arriaga says that it would be pointless to declare many human rights if the people continued to live in abject poverty under conditions worse than the black slaves in the US and other regions. He contends that there could not be real democracy as long as the people live as slaves in their own country under an aristocratic government. The speaker concludes by underscoring the importance of democracy and equality, noting that it was imperative to shatter yokes of feudal servitude, monopolies and abuses, and give way for democratic sovereignty where the people are empowered and equality prevails.
Historical Context
Following the declaration of independence in Mexico, an aristocratic government came into power which served with little regard to the plights of the people it was supposed to serve. In spite of many constitutional declarations on human rights, the common people remained in what was essentially slavery, living in poor conditions, landless and powerless. A few people in positions of power owned and controlled majority of the land while a majority of Mexicans had neither land to till nor the means to utilize any land anyone had. Aristocracy and inequality led to a scenario where a majority of the poor Mexicans had limited access to socio-economic opportunities. Unless something was done to entrench democracy, Mexicans would remain denied electoral rights and the share in public offices and political life. The Constitutional Convention of 1856-1856 and Arriaga’s speech were timely in articulating the issues ordinary, poor Mexicans were struggling with regardless of supposed independence and democracy. Arriaga’s call for reforms in land management and other political aspects of Mexico laid a foundation for democracy and empowerment of the people. This speech is historically significant to Mexico as besides creation of awareness about the plight of Americans, it led to changes that went a long way in entrenching democracy, empowering Mexicans and distribution of land and other resources.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the aforementioned speech articulated the broader problems of Mexicans at that time and powerfully advocated for reforms in the nation. It laid a basis for important reforms towards equal resource distribution and democracy that Mexico enjoys today.
