Beyond Banditry: The Commune of Morelos and Zapatismo.

Abstract

The objective of this research is the critical analysis of the Zapatista commune, as it was a curious episode in the history of Mexico, since its creation represented the establishment of the first worker–peasant state in Latin America; the destruction of repressive apparatuses in the territories controlled by the Zapatistas; the confiscation of land and its return to the communities; the appointment of governors and representatives designated by the people; the armed mobilization of peasants; and the nationalization of sugar mills. This research also serves to refute certain misconceptions surrounding Zapatismo. Its agrarian reform and the Plan of Ayala clearly demonstrate that the Zapatista cause was not merely a matter of banditry, since Zapatismo was the manifestation of the social demands of the peasantry; it was the letter of introduction of the Liberation Army of the South and a clear example of a highly complex movement. This work incorporates various studies and investigations carried out by other historians on Zapatismo; it is based primarily on the works of Ávila Espinosa and on the book by Gilly Ávila, as in both works I was able to find nearly all the information necessary for the creation of this study.