Introduction
John Womack was born in 1937 and is a renowned historian and economist. His publications have focused majorly on Mexico, Emiliano Zapata, and the Mexican Revolution of 1910 to 1921. As a historian, it can be expected that his works are founded on verifiable historical facts.
His book titled Zapata and the Mexican Revolution is one of the classic writing, which has led to a major shift in modern Mexican historiography as argued by Vaughan (2018). The book discusses the origins of the Mexican Revolution and the role played by critical figures, including Emiliano Zapata. He bases his arguments on the premise that the revolution was caused by people who refused to move from their fatherland and opted to fight against anyone who tried to force them to relocate.
The premise of his book can be visible from the preface where an introduction to the Mexican evolution is presented. Wommack (1968) states that “come hell, high water, agitators from the outside, or report of greener pastures elsewhere, they insisted on staying in the villages and little towns… (p. ix). The role of Zapata dominates the discussion of the revolution since, upon his death, the Morelos revolutionaries became recognized as a legitimate body in Mexico.
A brief background to the life of Emiliano Zapata reveals why he was such an important figure. Womack (1968) acknowledges that he had proven capable of leading the revolution, traits that were passed on to him by his parents. With the backing of the people, Zapata was able to accomplish a feat that not many would have. The historical events described in the book are largely accurate. Therefore, it can be argued that the book succeeds in one key aspect: outlining the successes of the key figure in the revolution.
Reaction
The book Zapata and the Mexican Revolution can be described as a biographical narrative exploring the life and history of both Emiliano Zapata and the Mexican revolution. Womack (1968) seeks to outline the events leading to and those towards the end of the revolution. He insinuates that Zapata is the embodiment of the spirit and resoluteness of the Morelos. The book is also written casually despite paying attention to the key events. The primary theme is the revolution and the role of Zapata as the author illustrates that the story of one would not be complete without the other.
The book is structured around eleven chapters, excluding the prologue, epilogue, and appendixes. Each of the chapters describes the major events in a sequence from the election of a governor by President Diaz to the inheritance of Morelos by Zapatistas. Other historical facts, including army campaigns, disavowing of the constitutionalists, and the resistance reforms have all been presented. A closer examination of the book hardly reveals any biases on the part of the author, majorly because all ideas are backed by historical facts. However, the only aspect that can be questioned is whether the refusal to move is the sole reason for the emergence of the revolution.
The doubts regarding such an opinion can be cleared by reading through the history of the revolution and providing updates from new archaeological and archival findings. Some of the earlier critiques of Womack (1968) may have expressed that the peasants were not unwilling to move as the several voting patterns on the agenda reveal.
The book is dominated by the themes of the revolution and Zapata. Therefore, it fails to address other issues such as gender. Very few instances of female mentions can be found in the book, which makes it appear that the revolution was conducted by men. However, there are a few instances that hint at how women were treated by the army officers. Mrs. King is an example of such an incident because the army refuses to return bathtubs that belonged to her even after she protested.
Regarding the strengths and weaknesses, it is important to acknowledge that the book makes critical contributions toward understanding the history of Mexico and Latin America. Additionally, Womack (1968) is keen on using historical facts with accurate dates and events, which is another strength of the publication. The major weakness is the book’s premise regarding the sole cause of the revolution because it is highly debatable. In other words, there can be arguments against the thesis that the peasants fought because they did not want to move from their ancestral lands. Additionally, the book does not address gender issues and the plight of women during the revolution.
Relevance
The Mexican Revolution is one of the most historically significant events in Latin America. The relevance of the book can be perceived by its contribution to the history of Latin America. As mentioned earlier, scholars such as Vaughan (2018) believe that Womack has changed how the history of the Mexican Revolution is written. Therefore, Womack (1968) has a special place in surveying Latin America and it is useful because of its ability to highlight the major events of the revolution. The major lesson from the book is that the history of a community defines who they are and the political occurrences. Additionally, effective leadership in political scenarios is the key to the attainment of favorable outcomes.
References
Vaughan, M. (2018). Mexico, 1940–1968 and beyond: Perfect dictatorship? Dictablanda? or PRI state hegemony? Latin American Research Review, 53(1), 167-176. Web.
Womack, J. (1968). Zapata and the Mexican Revolution. Vintage Books.