In the late 1800’s, it was not uncommon for an American to own a farm in Mexico during the Porfirian Era (1876-1911). During this time, Mexico was being influenced by two contrasting cultures: industrial and traditional. These disparate cultural influences caused Mexico to be perceived as “backwards” compared to the rest of the world, which was progressing rapidly. As a result, it was believed by many that Mexico had not even advanced beyond using chipped rocks as utensils (p.67). Mexico had become stagnant in its adherence to tradition, and people were resistant to embracing new technology and abandoning what they had known for so long.
During this time in Mexico, stones were used extensively by the indigenous people for various tasks. Women would manually grind meal for tortillas using a stone roller and slab. To cook the tortillas, they would place them on a hot rock since stoves were not available. The houses they lived in reflected the backwardness of the era, resembling Aztec or early Spanish huts with flat tops and adobe construction. These houses lacked furniture, including beds. Instead, they used petates, simple mats for sleeping. Additionally, Mexicans at this time had no means of heating or cooling, so all available resources were utilized in multiple ways.
According to the book, Mexico was resistant to adopting new technology and was often seen as ancient in its way of life. A New York Times reporter even remarked that Mexicans had little understanding of how to use the wheel. This lack of transportation technology led to Mexicans relying on mules and manual labor to transport goods over long distances. This reliance on outdated methods symbolized the limited technological progress in Porfirian Mexico.
The plow in Mexico exemplifies a society that is poorly adaptable. Described as a long tree branch, it has a crook and sometimes an iron plowshare. It relies on ox power, attached to the animal’s horns, which leads to unreliability and inefficiency. The plow also puts strain on the ox’s neck muscles, causing harm. Even ranches that imported plows from the United States would remove one handle to mimic the traditional tool instead of embracing the newer and improved version.
In Mexico, other Agricultural tools were also not utilized, highlighting the Mexican resistance to change. The sickle remained the method of choice for harvesting wheat, as opposed to a more efficient smooth blade. Furthermore, the traditional method of using a cradle to catch the wheat was not employed, resulting in increased labor for the Mexicans. Additionally, no specialized tools were used to thresh the wheat; instead, this task was accomplished by spreading the grain in a corral and allowing animals to trample it for a few days (p.73). Consequently, the final product contained a mixture of dirt and animal waste, rendering it unsanitary.
These Mexicans not only resisted adapting to new technologies but also showed hostility towards them. When one hacendado discovered the effectiveness and practicality of the thresher machine, the village priest claimed it was “possessed by the devil” and forbade the peons from working with it (p.73). To protect the machine from destruction, its American owner had to export it out of the area. Despite the priests’ unholy proclamations, many villagers opposed using the machines because they left the straw intact. In addition to their resistance to change, the farmers who cultivated these crops were ignorant about the benefits of rotating and resting their fields. They simply did not grasp the scientific processes that were already prevalent.
Mexican workers at the time displayed ignorance and stubbornness regarding the use of basic tools such as shovels and wheelbarrows. Despite the introduction of new technologies, they completely disregarded them. Instead of using shovels and wheelbarrows to transfer or transport earth, Mexicans utilized a tool called a horn scoop. They would collect dirt in a leather bag and transport it that way. A specific anecdote illustrates the use of a wheelbarrow: “One laborer working on the church loaded his wheelbarrow with bricks, lifted it onto his head, and trudged over to the masons. After emptying it, he replaced the wheelbarrow on his head and returned to the brick pile for another load” (p.74).
All irrigation methods involved transferring water using pots or buckets. Although occasionally other techniques were used, these methods can be traced back to ancient times. The simplicity of these methods was so primitive that it is believed they were adapted from those used on the Nile River centuries ago and have not been developed further since then.
Mining remained unaffected by the advancing technologies, with little variation in methods compared to previous years. Miners would dig into the hillside and rely on long poles (typically 8-10 feet long) for entering and exiting the mine. Instead of modern picks, they used steel-tipped iron rods. These drillers, also known as barrateros, enjoyed elevated status underground and received better pay than others. The transfer of ore was hazardous, involving workers ascending wooden poles to the surface. It is said that a worker would rest a bag filled with approximately 150-200 pounds of ore on their back and begin the ascent. To avoid accidents, they would hold the bag steady with one hand while climbing and maintaining balance with the other. The ore processing techniques employed by Mexicans were considered inefficient and average, leading to an estimated loss of around 60 percent of the metal contained in the raw ore according to an engineer (p.76).
Mexicans also relied heavily on rawhide for all sorts of repairs. They used thongs to connect plows to oxen, secure mule cargoes, stitch things together, tie rails to fence posts, and hold rafters in place. Essentially, they believed that if something couldn’t be fixed with rawhide, it wasn’t worth fixing at all. This approach eliminated the need for pins or nails in Mexican society. However, while effective for many things, rawhide was not suitable for repairing machinery, especially those made of cast iron. If a machine needed repair, Mexicans would simply discard it and move on, further highlighting their lack of technological knowledge.
During this time period, Mexico was significantly technologically behind. They resisted change and were not open to embracing it. This hindered their progress in the Porfirian Era, but they still completed their tasks using traditional methods passed down through generations. Their strong work ethic was commendable, but it is unfortunate to consider how much more they could have accomplished if they had been more willing to adopt new technologies. This stubbornness led to a regression or “backwardness” that characterized Mexico at the time, reinforced by the notion of not fixing what was not broken. However, the Porfirian Liberals later attacked Mexico, imposing restrictions on the church and seizing land in an attempt to modernize the country. In response, the besieged Mexicans resisted the changes and fought to preserve their customs in both rural and urban areas (p.88).
Mexicans at that period refused to surrender to any external influence, whether it was technological advancements or changes in cultural practices. They were resolute and determined in holding onto their beliefs, regardless of the source or nature of the threat. This highlights why Mexico might not be the ideal location for introducing new technologies, especially those aiming to replace existing traditions.
