In the absence of Don Porfirio

"The product of extensive archival research, this volume concludes that de la Barra, the forgotten man, had a major hand in bringing "progressive reforms" to Mexico that have been overshadowed because of the simultaneous popular uprising that demanded much greater changes in land tenure and working conditions. In the Absence of Don Porfirio: Francisco Leon de la Barra and the Mexican Revolution reveals that the de la Barra government laid the foundation for many of the ideas that would become the critical issues of the post-1920s Mexican state.". "The book analyzes de la Barra's role as a member of the progressive group of Porfirians who saw a chance for Mexico to live up to the reputation as a modern nation that Diaz had promoted. De la Barra directed the election process and responded to the widespread interest - even in rural areas and among popular classes - in democracy."--BOOK JACKET.