An American Journalist's Exposé of Mexico's Hidden Slaves
John Kenneth Turner's “Barbarous Mexico” exposes the lies behind Mexico's democracy. Beneath a facade of progress lies a nation without free speech or elections. Systemic oppression enslaves many, while the people yearn for revolution against a dictator who enriches himself and the powerful.
John Kenneth Turner's “Barbarous Mexico” ripped the facade of progress from early 20th-century Mexico, revealing the seething discontent beneath President Porfirio Díaz's gilded dictatorship. Turner's work isn't just a historical exposé; it's a timeless cautionary tale about the fragility of freedom, the insidious nature of systemic oppression, and the human costs of unchecked power.
The common American perception of Mexico was that of a nation mirroring the United States' own model of republicanism. This notion, while comforting, was a carefully constructed mirage. Diaz's regime played the part of benevolent reformer, obscuring the truth: Mexico was a republic only in name. Its constitution became a relic, a dusty testament to liberties denied and promises broken.
