To Reclaim the Republic: Federalism, Religious Freedom, and Liberal Discourse in Early Mexican Reform Era Nation-Building, 1854-1857

Abstract

The early years of the Mexican Reforma government (1854-1857) represented a formative era for Mexican nation-building. The Liberal Reform government influenced the trajectory of Mexican nation-building through its leaders' prioritization of the republican principles of federalism and religious freedom. Through their work, they successfully introduced these liberal principles into Mexican political discourse by elevating them to matters of national importance. This study examines five documents of the early Reforma: The Plan of Ayutla, Juarez Law, Lerdo Law, Iglesias Law, and Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857 in conjunction with biographical information and personal reflections on these laws and liberalism from the legislation's drafters in the form of letters, speeches, and an autobiographical account. Through the examination of these documents and the liberal leaders who put them forward, this study demonstrates the role of individuals and importance of the collaborative process that allowed the reformers to successfully introduce their liberal concepts to Mexican political discourse.