Available From UC Press

The Mexican Revolution: Federal Expenditure and Social Change Since 1910 (Second Edition, Revised) provides a meticulously detailed analysis of the social and economic transformations spurred by Mexico’s revolutionary policies over the course of the 20th century. Author James Wilkie examines federal expenditures as a tangible measure of the nation's commitment to addressing poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition—key aspirations of the 1917 Constitution. The study employs innovative methodologies, including a groundbreaking Poverty Index, to assess how these investments translated into social progress. By tracing the allocation of resources under successive presidential administrations, Wilkie reveals shifting political priorities and the uneven trajectory of reform, with a special focus on the transformative leadership of figures such as Lázaro Cárdenas.

The revised second edition introduces new data on land reform policies and adjustments to statistical measures, strengthening the original findings and expanding the historical scope to include early revolutionary efforts, such as Francisco I. Madero’s land policies. By integrating geographical analyses, Wilkie underscores the regional disparities in social development, offering fresh insights into how Mexico’s revolutionary goals penetrated various parts of the nation. With its combination of rigorous quantitative research and vivid interviews with political actors, the book not only enriches our understanding of Mexico's revolutionary legacy but also provides valuable lessons for other developing nations pursuing social modernization in the face of rapid population growth and economic challenges. This work remains an indispensable resource for scholars of Mexican history and policy, illuminating the complex interplay of politics, economics, and social change in a revolutionary context.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1970.