Saturday, October 18, 2008

“land, liberty, and justice”

José Clemente Orozco [1883-1949], Zapatistas [1931], Museum of Modern Art

A Wiki summary of Emiliano Zapata's [1879-1919] legacy includes the following:
Zapata's influence lasts to this day, particularly in revolutionary tendencies in south Mexico. There are controversies on the portrayal of Emiliano Zapata and his followers, on whether they were bandits or revolutionaries. But in modern times, Zapata is one of the most revered national heroes of Mexico: to many Mexicans, specifically the peasant and indigenous citizens, Zapata was a practical revolutionary who sought the implementation of liberties and agrarian rights outlined in the Plan of Ayala. He was a realist with the goal of achieving political and economic emancipation of the peasants in southern Mexico, and leading them out of severe poverty.