Vasconcelist Mejico

Vasconcelist Mejico (Spanish: Méjico vasconcelista), or the Vasconcelist dictatorship (dictadura vasconcelista), was the period of Mejican history between 1930 and 1970 when José Vasconcelos and Salvador Abascal ruled Mejico after the Christiad in a Duumvirate system with the King, later Emperor, of Mejico. After his abdication in 1970, Mejico transitioned into a democracy.

The nature of the regime evolved and changed during its existence. After the end of the Christiad, President Octaviano Larrazolo appointed José Vasconcelos, known as the Cultural Caudillo, as a member of his Cabinet. Two years into his presidency, Larrazolo died suddenly, and a snap election was called. Vasconcelos would win by a considerable margin, campaigning on a platform of national renewal, nationalism, anti-communism, and Boulangerism, later identifying more closely with Spanish Falangism. Originally a democratic government, Vasconcelos' regime became increasingly fascistized, showing its clear influence in fields such as labor relations, economic policy, the single-party system, and style of governance.

Vasconcelos was particularly drawn to the fascist regimes of Europe, promoting state nationalism and paternalistic corporatism, bringing about a new era of economic prosperity and national pride. His affinity for fascist regimes, however, was not based on ideas of racial supremacy, as his philosophy was centered on the idea of a strong state and the need for cohesion and unity within it, which would be achieved through Castizaje. In his own ideology, Castizaje was the epitome of Mejicanity, considering the Amerindian and European aspects of Mejicans to be vital for nation and identity-building, and would be guided by the Catholic Church.

Another characteristic of this period was the high degree of cooperation with the Monarch, as Fernando I declared himself Emperor in 1941. An autarkic policy was implemented, giving Mejico an unprecedented degree of self-reliance, helping it to grow economically and become more prosperous. One of the key policies was that of corporatism, involving the formation of large corporations in industries, commerce, labor, military, and science, with the State becoming the main sponsor for these corporations. The system was hierarchical, with the State at the top, followed by the various corporations, and then the individual workers. This resulted in the suppression of independent trade unions, and the establishment of a single State-controlled union - the National Union of Mejican Workers.

By the end of the European Spring of Nations of 1939, Mejico had become the strongest nation in Iberoamerica, aiding the Nationalist and Fascist sides of most European countries, such as Spain, Italy, the Holy Roman Empire, and France. Mejico's economic strength was due in part to its growing industrialization, which had begun in the early 20th century and was accelerated during the Vasconcelist Era. In 1941, Vasconcelist Mejico entered into war with the Communard Republic of North America, a Communist state that had recently toppled the Kingdom of Louisiana. The government took steps to increase its control over the economy and mobilize resources for the war, managing to keep inflation under control, shifting the economy, raising taxes, and seeing the entrance of women and teenagers into the workforce. During the war, the duumvirate was properly established, with Emperor and Caudillo sharing the duties of the Head of State, managing to drive Communism from North America through the 1942 Treaty of Mobile (Spanish: Tratado de Mauvila) and from Europe at large.

With the consolidation of power in the Empire, the economy, culture, and politics became increasingly focused on traditional Hispanic values. The new Imperial government was a synthesis of the various ideologies that had been at play in the country during the war: Castizaje, fascism, corporatism, and a strong sense of nationalism. The government became increasingly authoritarian, and focused on the consolidation of power, making the suppression of opposition the norm. The government sought to secure the support of the Catholic Church by re-establishing the recently abolished Inquisition, and gained the support of the urban and rural masses through incentives to join the different corporations. Economic growth was characterized as the "Mejican Miracle", spearheaded by influential economists such as Lázaro Cárdenas and Augusto Navascués. The Mejican Empire became a major player in the world during the post-war years, and its influence was felt not only in Iberoamerica, but also in Europe, Africa, and East Asia.

Vasconcelos would pass away in 1959, and was followed in the presidency by his hand-picked successor and protégé, Salvador Abascal. A national syndicalist and follower of Charles Maurras' Integral nationalism, he continued the duumvirate system with the Emperors, sharing power and remaining loyal to the principles of the Mejican nation and its place in the international order. He continued to promote the culture of the Mejican people and protect their national identity, as well as the country's economic and military interests. He also increased the presence of the Mejican government abroad, helping to establish the Iberoamerican Union in 1967, the predecessor of the Iberoamerican Commonwealth of Nations, and promoting Mejican interests in the international arena.

Abascal's tenure was characterized by his strong commitment to castizaje. He believed that by promoting a sense of national pride and identity, Mejico could become a stronger and more prosperous nation. To this end, he worked to strengthen several institutions, such as the military, the economy, and the education system, while also increasing the public role of the Church, believing that it could provide a strong moral framework for the country, and thatits teachings could help unite the people around a comomn set of values. Abascal was also commited to improving the country's infrastructure and economy, recognizing that Mejico needed to modernize in order to compete on the global stage, investing heavily on roads, railways, airports, and ports, while also improving social services, housing, and health care.

The Mejican Miracle continued under his tenure, with the corporatist system, the government, the labor union, the Church, workers, and scientists working closely together to promote economic growth and development, leading Mejico to participate in the Space Race with the rest of the First World, reaching the Moon in 1965. However, Abascal was not popular with all sectors of society, as the 1968 Student's Movement was a significant challenge to his authority. The movement began as a peaceful demonstration by university students in Mejico City, calling for greater democracy, secularization, and freedom of speech, but they were quickly characterized as "part of a subversive plan of international projection" and violently suppressed in the 1968 Tlatelolco Massacre. Two years later, Salvador Abascal would resign from the Presidency, citing the need for a more politically stable Mejico.